continental shelf

• Der relativ flache, flach geneigte Meeresboden, der einen Kontinent umgibt und von der Küstenlinie bis zum Kontinentalhang reicht, wo der tiefe Ozean beginnt.

The relatively shallow, gently sloping seabed that surrounds a continent, extending from the shoreline to the continental slope where the deep ocean begins.

1. Geological definitionC1formal

   The submerged border of a continent that slopes gently from the shoreline to a point where there is a steep drop to the ocean floor.

   Geologische Definition

   • The continental shelf extends for miles off the coast of Newfoundland.
   • Many oil and gas deposits are found beneath the continental shelf.
   • The continental shelf is rich in marine biodiversity.