Configuration
of Ocean Floor
Like the earth, the surface of ocean floor is not uniform
as well. The undulation ocean floor is divided into following parts.
i) Continental
shelf
The shallow
part of sea which lies adjacent to the coastal areas is called continental
shelf. This part of ocean is of vital importance form the geographical,
political and economic point of view. A country’s maritime borders, rights of
mining and fishing, trade routes and strategic planning depends upon
continental shelf.
ii) Continental
slope
The gentle
sloping continental shelf ends at a steep slope which descends into the deep
ocean. This is called continental slope.
iii) Submarine
trenches/canyons
The
continental slope merges into the deepest part of the ocean which comprise of
narrow and deep v-shaped canyons called trenches. These trenches descend up to
10 kilometers under water.
iv) Ocean
Basin and Mid- Oceanic Ridges
The mid portion of ocean is usually
comprised of vast undulation plain. This part has an average depth of 4500 to
6000 meters. Volcanoes are also found in this portion in a series of a
non-ending very long ridge. This is called Mid-Oceanic ridge formed by the
eruption of magma at divergent plate boundary.
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