The asthenosphere is a 110 miles (180 km) thick layer of the upper mantle that sits between the lower mantle and the lithosphere, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Iceland is one of the most active volcanic regions in the world, but its seismic nature is part of a much broader geological ...

The lithosphere can be divided into large sections known as tectonic plates. These plates move slowly on top of the asthenosphere layer. (Image credit: blueringmedia via Getty Images) ...

In contrast, if the asthenosphere is weak owing to volatile enrichment3,4,5,6 or the presence of partial melt7, the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary could occur over a much smaller depth range.

The mechanism facilitating the smooth movement of the oceanic lithosphere over the underlying asthenosphere (upper mantle) remains poorly understood. Recently, researchers from Japan investigated ...

Below the lithosphere is the denser asthenosphere, stretching from the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) to about 255 miles beneath Earth’s surface. Here is where temperature and pressure cause ...

The lithosphere is the rigid outermost layer of the Earth. It comprises two compositional units – the crust and the upper mantle. The movement of individual fragments of the lithosphere (the tectonic ...

The mechanism facilitating the smooth movement of the oceanic lithosphere over the underlying asthenosphere (upper mantle) remains poorly understood. Recently, researchers from Japan investigated ...

The data shows a hard ice shell on the surface of Europa (lithosphere), about 3.7 to 5 miles (6 to 8 km) deep. Below that is at least 7.4 miles (12 km) of warmer ice (asthenosphere) that convects ...