Lithosphere-Asthenosphere boundary a thermal control of oceanic-lithosphere thickness. The continental lithosphere contains an ancient, stable part known as the craton. The LAB is particularly difficult to study in these regions and evidence suggests that the lithosphere within this old part of the continent is at it thickest and even appears to exhibit large variations in thickness beneath the cratons, thus supporting the theory that lithosphere thickness and LAB depth are age-dependent. Depths of the LAB beneath these regions (also known as shields and platforms) are estimated to be between 200 and 250 km deep. Beneath Phanerozoic continental crust, the LAB is roughly
Earth science Earth science Earth science or geoscience includes all fields of natural science related to the planet Earth. It is the branch of science dealing with the physical constitution of the earth and its atmosphere. Earth science is the study of our planet’s physical characteristics, from earthquakes to raindrops, and floods to fossils. Earth science can be considered to be a branch of planetary science, but with a much older history. “Earth science” encompasses four main branches of study, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere, each of which is further broken down into more specialized fields. There are