continental crust

noun

1. geology that part of the earth's crust that underlies the continents and continental shelves

continental crust

/ kŏn′tə-nĕn′tl /

1. See under crust

Example Sentences

Ancient, expansive tracts of continental crust called cratons have helped keep Earth's continents stable for billions of years, even as landmasses shift, mountains rise and oceans form.

From Science Daily

"To make a planet like Earth you need to make continental crust, and you need to stabilize that crust," said Jesse Reimink, assistant professor of geosciences at Penn State and an author of the study.

From Science Daily

"The recipe for making and stabilizing continental crust involves concentrating these heat-producing elements -- which can be thought of as little heat engines -- very close to the surface," said Andrew Smye, associate professor of geosciences at Penn State and an author of the study.

From Science Daily

"One of the key ingredients you need to make a planet like Earth might be the emergence of continents relatively early on in its lifespan. Because you're going to create radioactive sediments that are very hot and that produce a really stable tract of continental crust that lives right around sea level and is a great environment for propagating life."

From Science Daily

"But our study links rock-based heat production to the emergence of continents, the generation of sediments and the differentiation of continental crust."

From Science Daily