Why is heat flow unusually high at oceanic ridge crests?

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oceanic ridge Major features of the ocean basins.

Heat flow is unusually high at oceanic ridge crests because these locations serve as seafloor spreading centres where new oceanic crust and portions of the upper mantle are actively formed.1

At these crests, fresh basaltic lavas are continuously exposed on the seafloor. As the seafloor spreads away from these centers, the crust and upper mantle undergo thermal contraction and cooling, which is why heat flow is significantly higher at the crests compared to other regions of the world.1