Mechanical Layers of Earth

MECHANICAL LAYERS OF
EARTH
LITHOSPHERE
The lithosphere is the outermost shell of the rocky planet
Earth’s outer layer, including the upper most mantle and crust
forms a relatively rigid shell.
On Earth, it comprises the crust and the portion of the upper

mantle that behaves elastically on time scales of thousands of
years or greater
This shell consist of materials with different chemical

compositions, but they act as a unit and behave similarly to
mechanical deformation
This outermost rigid unit of earth has been named the
lithosphere
”Lithosphere means “sphere of rock
Averaging about 100 km in thickness, the lithosphere may be

250 km or more in thickness below the older portions of the
continents
Within the ocean basins the lithosphere is only a few

kilometer thick along the oceanic ridges
It increase to 100 kilometers in regions of older and cooler

crustal rocks
The lithosphere is broken into tectonic plates
There are two types of lithosphere:
Oceanic lithosphere, which is associated with Oceanic

crust and exists in the ocean basins
Continental lithosphere, which is associated with

Continental crust
Olivine is generally the weakest mineral in the upper

mantle
THE TECTONIC PLATES
Oceanic lithosphere is typically about 50–100 km thick
while continental lithosphere has a range in thickness

from about 40 km to perhaps 200 km; the upper ~30 to
~50 km of typical continental lithosphere is crust.
The mantle part of the lithosphere consists largely of

peridotite
The crust is distinguished from the upper mantle by the

change in chemical composition that takes place at the
Moho discontinuity.
ASTHENOSPHERE
The asthenosphere is the highly viscous, mechanically weak
and ductilely-deforming region of the upper mantle of the
Earth.
Beneath the lithosphere lies a soft, relatively weak layer known

as Asthenosphere
It lies below the lithosphere, at depths between 100 and 200

km (~ 62 and 124 miles) below the surface, but perhaps
extending as deep as 700 km
Asthenosphere means a ‘weak sphere’
A small amount of melting takes place in asthenosphere
Within this very weak zone the lithosphere is detached from

asthenosphere
That’s why the lithosphere is able to move independently of the

asthenosphere
Asthenosphere is weak because it is hot just as hot wax is

weaker than cold wax
CHARACTERISTICS OF ASTHENOSPHERE
The asthenosphere is a portion of the upper layer just below the
lithosphere that is involved in plate tectonic movement and
isostatic adjustments
In spite of its high temperature, pressures keep it plastic, and it

has a relatively low density
Seismic waves pass relatively slowly through the asthenosphere

compared to the overlying lithospheric mantle
Thus it has been called the low-velocity zone (LVZ)

The lower boundary of the LVZ lies at a depth of 180–220
km
The base of the asthenosphere lies at a depth of about 700

km
Under the thin oceanic plates the asthenosphere is usually

much closer to the seafloor surface, and at mid-ocean
ridges it rises to within a few kilometers of the ocean floor
The upper part of the asthenosphere is believed to be the

zone upon which the great rigid and brittle lithospheric
plates of the Earth's crust move about
Due to the temperature and pressure conditions in the
asthenosphere, rock becomes ductile
It moves at rates of deformation measured in cm/yr over

lineal distances eventually measuring thousands of
kilometers.
In this way, it flows like a convection current, radiating

heat outward from the Earth's interior.
Above the asthenosphere, at the same rate of

deformation, rock behaves elastically and, being brittle,
can break, causing faults.
The rigid lithosphere is thought to "float" or move about
on the slowly flowing asthenosphere, creating the
movement of crustal plates
DYNAMIC EARTH
Earth is a dynamic planet
If we could go back in time a billion years or more, we

would find a planet with a surface different from what it is
today
There were no Grand Canyons, rocky mountains etc.
More over we would find continents with different shapes

and in different positions from today
In contrast, a billion years ago the Moon’s surface was
almost the same as we now find it
Moon is a lifeless body wandering through space and time
The processes that alter the earth’s surface can be divided

into two categories:
1. Destructive processes
2. Constructive processes
Destructiv e processes are those that wear away the land
These processes are weathering and erosion
Unlike the moon, where weathering and erosion processes

are at slow rates
These processes are continually altering the landscape of

earth
Constructive processes are those which increase the
average elevation of the land
Examples of constructive processes are volcanism and

mountain building
These forces depends upon earth’s internal heat for their

source of energy

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MECHANICAL LAYERS OF

On Earth, it comprises the crust and the portion of the upper

This shell consist of materials with different chemical

”Lithosphere means “sphere of rock

Averaging about 100 km in thickness, the lithosphere may be

Within the ocean basins the lithosphere is only a few

It increase to 100 kilometers in regions of older and cooler

There are two types of lithosphere:

Oceanic lithosphere, which is associated with Oceanic

Continental lithosphere, which is associated with

Olivine is generally the weakest mineral in the upper

while continental lithosphere has a range in thickness

The mantle part of the lithosphere consists largely of

The crust is distinguished from the upper mantle by the

Beneath the lithosphere lies a soft, relatively weak layer known

It lies below the lithosphere, at depths between 100 and 200

A small amount of melting takes place in asthenosphere

Within this very weak zone the lithosphere is detached from

That’s why the lithosphere is able to move independently of the

Asthenosphere is weak because it is hot just as hot wax is

In spite of its high temperature, pressures keep it plastic, and it

Seismic waves pass relatively slowly through the asthenosphere

Thus it has been called the low-velocity zone (LVZ)

The base of the asthenosphere lies at a depth of about 700

Under the thin oceanic plates the asthenosphere is usually

The upper part of the asthenosphere is believed to be the

It moves at rates of deformation measured in cm/yr over

In this way, it flows like a convection current, radiating

Above the asthenosphere, at the same rate of

If we could go back in time a billion years or more, we

There were no Grand Canyons, rocky mountains etc.

More over we would find continents with different shapes

Moon is a lifeless body wandering through space and time

The processes that alter the earth’s surface can be divided

These processes are weathering and erosion

Unlike the moon, where weathering and erosion processes

These processes are continually altering the landscape of

Examples of constructive processes are volcanism and

These forces depends upon earth’s internal heat for their

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