continental crust

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | 670 words | Copyright

continental crust That portion of the Earth's surface overlying the Mohorovičić discontinuity, and with an average density of 2700–3000 mg/m³. The thickness is variable, mostly 30–40 km, except for areas of recent mountain building where the thickness can be 70 km. The crust comprises two layers, but the boundary between them is poorly defined. The upper layer is of granitic composition with surface enrichment in radiogenic and other lithophile elements, and has an average density of 2700 mg/m³. The lower layer was previously considered to be of gabbroic composition but is now thought to be quartz diorite in granulite metamorphic grade.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "continental crust." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "continental crust." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-continentalcrust.html

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