lithosphere

lith·o·sphere

L0201800 (lĭth′ə-sfîr′)n. The outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) thick.

lithosphere

(ˈlɪθəˌsfɪə) n (Geological Science) the rigid outer layer of the earth, having an average thickness of about 75 km and comprising the earth's crust and the solid part of the mantle above the asthenosphere

lith•o•sphere

(ˈlɪθ əˌsfɪər)

n. the crust and upper mantle of the earth. [1885–90] lith`o•spher′ic (-ˈsfɛr ɪk) adj.

lith·o·sphere

(lĭth′ə-sfîr′) The outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. It is approximately 62 miles (100 kilometers) thick. Compare asthenosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere.

lithosphere

the solid part of the earth, as contrasted with the atmosphere and hydrosphere.See also: Earth

lithosphere

The term used to describe the Earth’s crust coupled with the rigid upper mantle.

Thesaurus

Noun

lithosphere - the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantlegeospherelayer - a relatively thin sheetlike expanse or region lying over or under anothercrust, Earth's crust - the outer layer of the Earthearth, globe, world - the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on; "the Earth moves around the sun"; "he sailed around the world"mantle - the layer of the earth between the crust and the coreEarth's surface, surface - the outermost level of the land or sea; "earthquakes originate far below the surface"; "three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water"

Translations

λιθόσφαιραlitosferalithosphère

lithosphere

(lĭth`əsfēr'), brittle uppermost shell of the earth, broken into a number of tectonic plates. The lithosphere consists of the heavy oceanic and lighter continental crusts, and the uppermost portion of the mantlemantle,
portion of the earth's interior lying beneath the crust and above the core. No direct observation of the mantle, or its upper boundary, has been made; its boundaries have been determined solely by abrupt changes in the velocities and character of seismic waves passing
..... Click the link for more information. . The crust and mantle are separated by the Moho or Mohorovicic discontinuity (see earthearth,
in geology and astronomy, 3rd planet of the solar system and the 5th largest, the only planet definitely known to support life. Gravitational forces have molded the earth, like all celestial bodies, into a spherical shape.
..... Click the link for more information. and seismologyseismology
, scientific study of earthquakes and related phenomena, including the propagation of waves and shocks on or within the earth by natural or artificially generated seismic signals.
..... Click the link for more information. ). The thickness of the lithosphere varies from to around 1 mi (1.6 km) at the mid-ocean ridges to approximately 80 mi (130 km) beneath older oceanic crust. The thickness of the continental lithospheric plates is probably around 185 mi (300 km) but is uncertain due to the irregular presence of the Moho discontinuity. The lithosphere rests on a soft layer called the asthenosphereasthenosphere
, region in the upper mantle of the earth's interior, characterized by low-density, semiplastic (or partially molten) rock material chemically similar to the overlying lithosphere.
..... Click the link for more information. , over which the plates of the lithosphere glide. See plate tectonicsplate tectonics,
theory that unifies many of the features and characteristics of continental drift and seafloor spreading into a coherent model and has revolutionized geologists' understanding of continents, ocean basins, mountains, and earth history.
..... Click the link for more information. .

lithosphere

(lÿ -th'o-sfeer) See Earth.

Lithosphere

the outer sphere of the “solid” earth, including the earth’s crust and the upper layer of the mantle (substratum). The lower boundary of the lithosphere runs above the asthenosphere. Until the 1960’s “lithosphere” was a synonym for the earth’s crust.

lithosphere

[′lith·ə‚sfir] (geology) The rigid outer crust of rock on the earth about 50 miles (80 kilometers) thick, above the asthenosphere. Also known as oxysphere. Since the development of plate tectonics theory, a term referring to the rigid, upper 60 miles (100 kilometers) of the crust and upper mantle, above the asthenosphere.

lithosphere

lith·o·sphere

lithosphere

lith•o•sphere

lith·o·sphere

lithosphere

lithosphere

lithosphere

lithosphere

lithosphere

Lithosphere

lithosphere

lithosphere

Synonyms for lithosphere

noun the solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle

Synonyms

Related Words