Question

What are the characteristics of the asthenosphere?

Answer 1

The characteristics of the asthenosphere are that it is composed of semi-fused and solid materials. The asthenosphere is responsible for the renewal and expansion of the ocean floor.

Asthenosphere

The asthenosphere is the upper zone of our Earth’s mantle. Located below the lithosphere, approximately between 30 and 130 kilometres deep. It is formed or composed of solid and semi – fused materials that allow continental drift.

• The asthenosphere is composed of rock material. It is formed by iron and magnesium silicates.
• This chemical composition is almost identical to the lower layer of the earth or mesosphere.
• In contrast, lithospheric rocks contain more silica but less aluminium, sodium, and potassium.
• It is then basically composed of sedimentary rocks, ferromagnetic minerals, magmatic material, radioactive materials and metamorphic rocks
• Due to the temperature and pressure conditions in the asthenosphere, the rock becomes ductile.