continental shelf


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Related to continental shelf: Continental Rise, Exclusive Economic Zone
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continental shelf

continental shelf

n.
A submerged border of a continent that slopes gradually and extends to a point of steeper descent to the ocean bottom.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

continental shelf

n
(Physical Geography) the sea bed surrounding a continent at depths of up to about 200 metres (100 fathoms), at the edge of which the continental slope drops steeply to the ocean floor
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con′tinen′tal shelf′


n.
the part of a continent that is submerged in relatively shallow sea.
[1940–45]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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continental shelf

continental shelf

The part of the edge of a continent covered by shallow ocean waters and extending to the steep slopes that descend into the deep part of the ocean.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

continental shelf

A shallow sea bed; the submerged edge of a continent.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.continental shelf - the relatively shallow (up to 200 meters) seabed surrounding a continentcontinental shelf - the relatively shallow (up to 200 meters) seabed surrounding a continent
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
إفْريز قارّي
континентален шелф
plataforma continental
kontinentální šelf
kontinentalsokkelfastlandssokkel
FestlandssockelKontinentalplatteKontinentalschelfKontinentalsockelSchelf
mandrilavašelf
mannerjalustamannermaajalusta
מדף יבשתי
epikontinentalni pojas
kontinentális pad
paparan benua
landgrunn
大陸棚
kontinentinis atabradasšelfas
continentaal plat
półka kontynentalnaszelf kontynentalny
plataforma continental
platformă continentală
okraj kontinentu zaplavený morom
континентална полицашелф
kontinentalsockel
kıta sahanlığı
континентальний шельф
thềm lục địa

continent1

(ˈkontinənt) noun
1. one of the great divisions of the land surface of the world – Europe, America, Australia, Asia or Africa.
2. Europe excluding Britain. We are going to the continent for our holidays.
ˌcontiˈnental (-ˈnen-) adjective
continental breakfast
a light breakfast of rolls and coffee.
continental shelf noun
the part of a continent that is under a relatively shallow sea.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in periodicals archive ?
'The Norwegian Continental Shelf is a rather challenging area, but we are very well prepared to handle this task.
Kenya, therefore, applied to the relevant international body the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The commission is required to first circulate such applications to UNCLOS member states to ensure that they have no reservations concerning the matter.
A lot of confusion is often caused over the term "continental shelf" because the geological definition of the term is very different from that adopted in Unclos.
The MoU, registered under registration number I-46230, recognised there existed a "maritime dispute" between the two coastal states, whose extent covered an overlapping area of the continental shelf. It noted further that despite the two states having differing interests on the area under dispute, they remained determined to work together to safeguard and promote their common interest with respect to the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.
In 2012 the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) confirmed Benham Rise as part of the Philippines's continental shelf.
In 2012, the UN body granted the Philippines' submission to declare Philippine Rise as part of its extended continental shelf, granting Manila "sovereign rights" over the region.
The main steering committee for extending the continental shelf project (which comprises a number of organisations) has appointed a consultancy company to help in carrying out the necessary maritime surveys that included seismic surveys for the study area, in addition to carrying out surveys for the depths and collection of rock samples.
"The Philippine Rise or the Benham Rise is ours and the continental shelf that extends subterranean.
delimitation of the continental shelf has been the subject of growing
"The edge of the continental shelf is a key location where nutrient-rich water upwells to the surface, stimulating the growth of the tiny plants and animals that form the basis of the food web," said Glen Gawarkiewicz, a physical oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
New York: Oman has submitted a formal application to extend its continental shelf to the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea.

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