oceanic crust

American  

[oh-shee-an-ik kruhst] / ˌoʊ ʃiˈæn ɪk ˈkrʌst /

noun

1. Geology. the outer layer of Earth's lithosphere that lies beneath the oceans, composed mainly of basalt, about 3–6 miles (5–10 km) thick, and noted as being younger, thinner, and denser than continental crust.

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oceanic crust Scientific  

1. See under crust

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Other Word Forms

• oceanic crustal
  adjective

Example Sentences

But he is hesitant to readily accept outcomes from models of the ancient seafloor, because there is little data revealing what Earth’s oceanic crust was like at that time.

From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2024

The Pacific Northwest lies just inland from the Cascadia subduction zone, where dense oceanic crust gets pulled under the continent.

From Science Daily • Feb. 6, 2024

He compares the ancient plate to a manta ray: a pair of thin wings of oceanic crust flanking a thick middle of continental crust.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 9, 2024

On Earth, this recycling process usually happens at subduction zones, where the oceanic crust slides beneath the continental crust, warming as it goes down.

From National Geographic • Oct. 12, 2023

Frigid water percolates through fissures in the splintering oceanic crust and meets the scalding magma below.

From Scientific American • Aug. 9, 2023