ESC 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Oceanic Plateau, Magnetite, Outer Core

• School: University of Florida
• Department: Earth Sciences
• Course: ESC 1000
• Professor: Jim Vogl

Document Summary

Sketch and describe differences in thickness and composition between continental crust and oceanic crust. *the primary factor controlling the elevation of a region is the thickness of the underlying crust. Oceanic crust is thinner than continental crust and consists of denser rock than continental crust. As a result, regions underlain only by oceanic crust are well below sea level. Contrast lithosphere and asthenosphere both make up the mantle. Lithosphere = crust (rigid) and the uppermost part of the mantle (strong and solid) Asthenosphere = mantle directly beneath the lithospheric (weak zone, but hotter, allowing rock to flow) Sketch and discuss how the principle of isostasy can explain differences in regional elevation. Isostasy: the concept of different thicknesses of crust riding on the mantle. Mountain belts have thick crustal roots most of the change in crustal thickness occurs at depth and less near the surface. Density of the rocks also influences regional elevations.