English

Level FAST ICE of more than one winter's growth, which may be nourished by surface layers of SNOW. Thickness of ICE and SNOW up to about 2 m above SEA LEVEL. When bay ice becomes thicker than this, it is called an ICE SHELF.

A region adjacent to a CONTINENT, normally occupied by or bordering a SHELF and sometimes emerging as islands, that is irregular or blocky in plan or profile, with DEPTHS well in excess of those typical of a SHELF.

A region adjacent to a CONTINENT, normally occupied by or bordering a CONTINENTAL SHELF, highly irregular, with DEPTHS well in excess of those typical of a CONTINENTAL SHELF.

The zone, generally consisting of SHELF, SLOPE and CONTINENTALRISE, separating the continent from the deep seafloor or ABYSSAL PLAIN or PLAIN. Occasionally a TRENCH may be present in place of a CONTINENTAL RISE.

A zone adjacent to a CONTINENT (or around an ISLAND), extending from the low water line to the DEPTH at which there is usually a marked increase of slope to greater DEPTH. See SHELF.- 2- In UNCLOS Article 76:- The continental SHELF of a coastal State comprises the SEA BED and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its TERRITORIAL SEA throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the CONTINENTAL MARGIN, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the BASELINEs from which the breadth of the TERRITORIAL SEA is measured where the outer edge of the CONTINENTAL MARGIN does not extend out to that distance.

The limit of the continental shelf or continental margin determined in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

An elongated, characteristically linear, steep SLOPE, separating horizontal or gently sloping sectors of the SEAFLOOR in non-SHELF areas. Also abbreviated to SCARP.

A large mass of floating or stranded ICE broken away from a GLACIER or from an ICE SHELF. Often of considerable HEIGHT (in any case more than 5 m above the LEVEL of the SEA).

A mass of ICE resting on ROCK and sur­rounded either by an ICE SHELF or partly by an ICE SHELF and partly by SEA. No ROCK is exposed and there may be none above SEA LEVEL. Ice rises often have a dome-shaped surface. The largest known is about 100 km across.

A continuous mass of ICE and SNOW of considerable thickness and large area. Ice sheets may be resting on ROCK (see INLAND ICE SHEET) or floating (see ICE SHELF). Ice sheets of less than 40,000 sq. km resting on ROCK are called ice caps.

A floating ICE SHEET of considerable thick­ness. Ice shelves are usually of great horizontal extent and have a level or gently undulating surface. They are nourished by local snow accumulation and often also by the seaward extension of land glaciers. Limited areas may be aground. The initial stage is called BAY ICE until the surface is more than about 2 m above SEA LEVEL. The seaward edge is termed an ICE FRONT.

A zone around an island that extends from the low water line to a depth at which there is usually a marked increase of slope towards oceanic depths.

(n.). The comparatively flat zone of variable width which extends from the outer margin of the rather steeply sloping shoreface to the edge of the CONTINEN­TAL SHELF.

A sloping structure that can either be used, as a landing place, at variable water levels, for small vessels, landing ships, or a ferry boat, or for hau­ling a cradle carrying a vessel. An accumulation of SNOW that forms an inclined plane between land or land ice elements and SEA ICE or ICE SHELF. Also called drift ice foot.

Geologically an area adjacent to a continent or around an island and extending from the low-water line to the depth at which there is usually a marked incr­ease of slope towards greater depth. See also CONTI­NEN­TAL SHELF.