adjective
- relating to or denoting the equilibrium of the Earth's crust, in which the weight of raised areas is balanced by the weight of material displaced beneath them
Usage: geology; technical
Examples
- The isostatic adjustment of the Earth's crust occurs over thousands of years.
- Geologists study isostatic rebound in regions that were once covered by glaciers.
- The mountain range is in isostatic equilibrium with the surrounding continental crust.
- Isostatic principles explain why lighter continental crust floats higher than denser oceanic crust.
- After the ice age, isostatic uplift caused the land to rise gradually.