asthenosphere
noun
as·theno·sphere
as-ˈthe-nə-ˌsfir 
: a zone of a celestial body (such as the earth) which lies beneath the lithosphere and within which the material is believed to yield readily to persistent stresses
Examples of asthenosphere in a Sentence
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The mountain range floats like a raft atop the denser liquid rock of the Earth’s interior, called the mantle or the asthenosphere.
—
Carly Miller, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
As a result, the asthenosphere is considered more ductile — or malleable and able to stretch.
—Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023
The molten rock appeared on seismic readings in areas where the asthenosphere reached its highest temperatures, about 2,640 degrees Fahrenheit (1,450 degrees Celsius).
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
Pieces of the lithosphere — seven major plates and dozens of microplates — glide ever-so-slowly across the asthenosphere like a puck across an air-hockey table, moved by a combination of thermal convection, gravity and rotational forces.
—Jack Feerick, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2020
Schematic model for a partially molten layer in the asthenosphere.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2023
This layer is a part of the asthenosphere, which sits beneath the tectonic plates.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
Beneath that, starting at roughly 100 kilometers deep, is the asthenosphere, where mantle rocks are warm enough to flow like hot taffy.
—Alexandra Witze, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2018
Cold, dense oceanic lithosphere sinks below an adjacent, lighter plate, plunging into the hot asthenosphere.
—National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
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Carly Miller, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
As a result, the asthenosphere is considered more ductile — or malleable and able to stretch.
—Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023
The molten rock appeared on seismic readings in areas where the asthenosphere reached its highest temperatures, about 2,640 degrees Fahrenheit (1,450 degrees Celsius).
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
Pieces of the lithosphere — seven major plates and dozens of microplates — glide ever-so-slowly across the asthenosphere like a puck across an air-hockey table, moved by a combination of thermal convection, gravity and rotational forces.
—Jack Feerick, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2020
Schematic model for a partially molten layer in the asthenosphere.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2023
This layer is a part of the asthenosphere, which sits beneath the tectonic plates.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Feb. 2023
Beneath that, starting at roughly 100 kilometers deep, is the asthenosphere, where mantle rocks are warm enough to flow like hot taffy.
—Alexandra Witze, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2018
Cold, dense oceanic lithosphere sinks below an adjacent, lighter plate, plunging into the hot asthenosphere.
—National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near asthenosphere
Cite this Entry
“Asthenosphere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asthenosphere. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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