lithosphere

1. (geology) The rigid, mechanically strong, outer layer of the Earth; divided into twelve major plates.Examples: "Then we indicate some of the more pertinent characteristics of oceanic and continental lithospheres."; "When applying Equation (3-74) to determine the downward deflection of the earth's lithosphere due to an applied load, we must be careful to include in q(x) the hydrostatic restoring force caused by the effective replacement of mantle rocks in a vertical column by material of smaller density."; "Active serpentine mud volcanoes observed in the Mariana fore-arc provide dramatic evidence for hydration of the shallow mantle wedge by H₂O fluids derived from the subducting lithosphere (Fryer. 1996: Fryer et al., 1999)."