continental shelf

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continental shelf

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

con·ti·nen·tal shelf • n. the area of seabed around a large landmass where the sea is relatively shallow compared with the open ocean.

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continental shelf

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | | Â© A Dictionary of Earth Sciences 1999, originally published by Oxford University Press 1999. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

continental shelf Gently seaward-sloping surface that extends between the shoreline and the top of the continental slope at about 150 m depth. The average gradient of the shelf is between 1:500 and 1:1000 and, although it varies greatly, the average width is approximately 70 km. Five major types of shelves may be recognized: (a) those dominated by tidal action; (b) those dominated by wave and storm action; (c) those dominated by carbonate deposition; (d) those subject to modern glaciation in polar areas; and (e) those floored by relict sediments which constitute up to 50% of the total shelf area.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "continental shelf." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 18 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "continental shelf." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (December 18, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-continentalshelf.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "continental shelf." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved December 18, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-continentalshelf.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Report Spans A Range Of Timescales And Content Relating To Sedimentary Processes And Strata Associated With Fluvial Dispersal Systems On Continental Shelves And Slopes. Business Wire; 1/28/2008
	Judicial and arbitral proceedings and the outer limits of the continental shelf. Magazine article from: Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law; 10/1/2009
	Research and Markets: Investment Opportunities, Analysis and Forecasts to 2020 within the U.S. Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Oil and Gas Region (New Report). Business Wire; 2/13/2009

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