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Asthenosphere

as-THEN-uh-sfeer
Geology

The mechanically weak and ductile region of Earth's upper mantle, lying below the lithosphere from a depth of about 80 to 200 kilometers and extending as deep as 700 kilometers, its lower boundary not well defined. It is almost solid, with a slight amount of melting, less than a tenth of a percent of the rock, contributing to its weakness; where it wells upward, more extensive decompression melting makes it the most important source of magma on Earth, feeding the mid-ocean ridges. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Origin Year
1914 1
The term first appears in the geological literature in Joseph Barrell's 1914 paper on isostatic movements and a sphere of weakness beneath the crust.
Connections

Associated With

Lithosphere, Concepts

The asthenosphere lies directly below the lithosphere; the rigid shell rides on the weak layer.

Source Asthenosphere (Wikipedia)

Decompression melting of upwelling asthenosphere is the source of mid-ocean ridge basalt.

Source Asthenosphere (Wikipedia)

In Discipline

Geology, Disciplines
Source Asthenosphere (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Asthenosphere (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    The asthenosphere (from Ancient Greek ἀσθενός (asthenós) 'without strength') is the mechanically weak and ductile region of the upper mantle of Earth.
  • History and etymology
    Barrell, J. (1914). The strength of the crust, Part VI. Relations of isostatic movements to a sphere of weakness - the asthenosphere.
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