noun
- plural of lithosphere; the rigid outer layers of the Earth consisting of the crust and upper mantle
Usage: geology
Examples
- The lithospheres of different planets vary greatly in thickness.
- Scientists study how lithospheres interact at tectonic plate boundaries.
- Earth’s and Mars’s lithospheres have different compositions.
- The cooling of lithospheres affects planetary surface features.
- Comparative studies examine lithospheres across the solar system.
- Ancient lithospheres provide clues about early planetary formation.