1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the asthenosphere, the upper layer of Earth's mantle beneath the lithosphere
Usage: geology; technical

Examples

• The asthenospheric layer exhibits plastic behavior that allows tectonic plates to move.
• Geologists study asthenospheric flow to understand plate tectonics.
• The asthenospheric material beneath the lithosphere is hotter and less rigid.
• Convection currents in the asthenospheric mantle drive continental drift.
• Seismic waves travel differently through asthenospheric rock compared to the lithosphere.