A simple picture of mantle wedge flow patterns and temperature variation

•The azimuthal inner angle between the mantle wedge inflow and outflow directions increases with subduction obliquity.•Margin or slab curvature leads to non-uniform subduction obliquity, inflow direction, and mantle wedge temperature.•The mantle inflow directions for the circum-Pacific and neighboring margins are predicted based on subduction obliquity.•Along-margin changes in the inflow direction and temperature are small and gradaul for most margins of >1000 km in length.•Rapid along-margin changes in the inflow direction and temperature are predicted for short convex-arc-ward margin segments.