Lithosphere vs. Asthenosphere

Lithospherenoun

(geology) The rigid, mechanically strong, outer layer of the Earth; divided into twelve major plates.

Lithospherenoun

The solid earth as distinguished from its fluid envelopes, the hydrosphere and atmosphere.

Lithospherenoun

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

Lithosphere

A lithosphere (Ancient Greek: λίθος [líthos] for , and σφαίρα [sphaíra] for ) is the rigid, outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet or natural satellite. On Earth, it is composed of the crust and the portion of the upper mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of years or greater.

Asthenospherenoun

(geology) The zone of the Earth's upper mantle, below the lithosphere.

Asthenospherenoun

the lower layer of the earth's crust, below the lithosphere. It is estimated as from fifty to several hundred miles thick. It is less rigid than the lithosphere, but still rigid enough to transmit some transverse seismic waves.

Asthenospherenoun

the lower layer of the crust

Asthenosphere

The asthenosphere (Ancient Greek: ἀσθενός [asthenos] meaning , and thus , and σφαίρα [sphaira] meaning ) is the highly viscous, mechanically weak, and ductile region of the upper mantle of Earth. It lies below the lithosphere, at depths between approximately 80 and 200 km (50 and 120 miles) below the surface.