10/14/2019 10(p) Physiography of the Ocean Basins

P h y s i c a l G e o g r a p h y. n e t | FUND A M E N TA L S eBOOK

FU N D AMENTALS U N D E RSTANDING G E O G RAPHY G L O S SARY IN T E RNET S E A R CH

HOME ABOUT
eB O O K eB O O K GAMES O F T ERMS W E B L INKS SITE

CHAPTER 10: Introduction to the Lithosphere

(p). Physiography of the Ocean Basins

Origin of the Ocean Basins

The ocean basins are the result of tectonic forces and processes. All of the ocean basins were
formed from volcanic rock that was released from fissures located at the mid-oceanic ridges.
The oldest rocks found in these basins are approximately 200 million years old. This is a lot
younger than the oldest continental rocks which have ages greater than 4 billion years. The
reason for this discrepancy is simple. Tectonic processes destroy old oceanic rocks! Oceanic
rock is returned to the Earth's mantle when oceanic crust is subducted. Many of these
subduction zones occur at the continental margins where oceanic crust meets continental
crust. Subduction also creates the ocean's deep trenches.

Topography of the Ocean Basins

The ocean basins are not featureless Earth surfaces (Figure 10p-1). Much of our knowledge
about the topographic features that exist here are derived from the following technologies:
seismic surveying; echo sounder; side-scan sonar; and the measurement of the height of sea
surfaces by satellites. Most of the general information concerning the depth of the ocean basins
were made after World War I when the echo sounder was developed for military purposes.
This instrument accurately determines the time between the emission of a strong acoustic pulse
and the detection of its echo. Using this principle scientists can determine the distance from
the sounder to the ocean bottom.

Figure 10p-1: The following image displays the topography of the

Earth's terrestrial land surface and ocean basins. Data for the image
www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10p.html 1/4
10/14/2019 10(p) Physiography of the Ocean Basins

comes from satellite altimetry and ship depth soundings, and U.S.
Geological Survey digital elevation maps (DEM) of the Earth's land
surface. In the ocean basin, the gradation from red to yellow to green
to blue indicates increasing depth. A number of topographic features
associated with the ocean basin can be seen in this image. The red
area that borders the various landmasses is the continental shelf. This
feature is structurally part of the continental landmasses despite the
fact that it is under water. The yellow to green zone around the
continental shelf is the continental slope and continental rise. The
blue region in the various ocean basins constitutes the ocean floor. In
the center of ocean basins, the mid-oceanic ridges can be seen with a
color ranging from green to yellow to orange. (Modified from image
available at the Seafloor Topography Website, Institute of
Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California at San
Diego).

Some of the dominant topographic features associated with the ocean basins include:

Continental shelf is a shallow (average depth 130 meters) gently sloping part of the
continental crust that borders the continents (see Figure 10p-1 and Figure 10p-2).
The extent of this feature varies from tens of meters to a maximum width of about
1300 kilometers.

Figure 10p-2: Marginal features found at the interface of the

continents and the ocean basins.

The continental slope extends from the continental shelf at an average depth of
about 135 meters (see Figure 10p-2). The base of this steeply sloping (from 1 to
25°, average about 4°) topographic feature occurs at a depth of approximately 2000
meters, marking the edge of the continents. The width of the slope varies from 20
to 100 kilometers. Both the continental shelf and slope are considered structurally
part of the continents, even though they are below the sea surface. The boundary
between the continental slope and shelf is called the continental shelf break.

Submarine canyons are V-shaped canyons cut into the continental slope to a depth
of up to 1200 meters. The submarine canyons are cut perpendicular to the running
direction of the continental slope. Many canyons are associated with major rivers
such as the Congo, Hudson, and others.
www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10p.html 2/4
10/14/2019 10(p) Physiography of the Ocean Basins

The continental rise is found at the base of the continental slope (see Figure 10p-1
and Figure 10p-2). The depth of the rise ranges from 2000 to 5000 meters deep. Its
breadth is up 300 kilometers wide. This feature was created by the merging of
accumulated deposits at the mouths of the many submarine canyons. Each canyon's
thick fan-shaped sedimentary deposit is called an abyssal fans.

The ocean floor is found at the base of the continental rise in water 4000 to 6000
meters deep (see Figure 10p-1). The ocean floor accounts for nearly 30% of the
Earth's surface. The composition of the ocean floor consists of a relatively thin layer
(on average 5 kilometers thick) of basaltic rock with an average density of 3.0
grams per cubic centimeter (continents - granite rocks - density 2.7 grams per cubic
centimeter).

Numerous volcanoes populate the floor of the ocean basins. Scientists estimate that
there are approximately 10,000 volcanoes on the ocean floor.

Mid-oceanic ridge is normally found rising above the ocean floor at the center of
the ocean basins (see Figure 10p-1). These features are involved in the generation
of new oceanic crust from volcanic fissures produced by mantle up-welling. Some
volcanic islands are part of the mid-ocean ridge system (Iceland). The mid-oceanic
ridge constitutes 23% of the Earth's surface. In the center of the mid-oceanic ridge
is a rift valley, between 30 to 50 kilometers wide, that dissects 1000 to 3000 meters
deep into the ridge system.

Ocean trenches are long, narrow, steep-sided depressions found on the ocean floor
that contain the greatest depths in the ocean (11,000 meters - western Pacific).
There are 26 oceanic trenches in the world: 3 in the Atlantic Ocean, 1 in the Indian
Ocean, and 22 in the Pacific Ocean (Figure 10p-3). Generally, the trenches mark
the transition between continents and ocean basins, especially in the Pacific basin.
Trenches are also the tectonic areas.

Figure 10p-3: Major ocean trenches of the world. The Mariana

Trench is the deepest at 11,020 meters below sea-level.

Ocean Basin Configuration

www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10p.html 3/4
10/14/2019 10(p) Physiography of the Ocean Basins

The current spatial configuration of the ocean basins is a by product of plate tectonics. The
creation of new oceanic crust at the mid-oceanic ridge moves the continents across the
Earth's surface and creates zones of subduction. At the areas of subduction, oceanic crust is
forced into the mantle after it collides with continental crust. Over the past 200 million years,
the Atlantic basin has been the most active area of oceanic crust creation. The Atlantic ocean
formed about 200 million years ago as the Pangaean continent began rifting apart. 180 million
years ago, North American separated from South America and Africa. North America then
joined with Eurasia creating Laurasia. By 135 million years ago, South America began
separating from Africa. North America and Eurasia split a few million years after.

Study Guide
Additional Readings
Internet Weblinks
Citation: Pidwirny, M. (2006). "Physiography of the Ocean Basins". Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 2nd Edition.
Date Viewed. http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10p.html

Created by Dr. Michael Pidwirny & Scott Jones University of British Columbia Okanagan

Email Corrections and Suggestions to: [email protected]

Copyright © 1999-2018 Michael Pidwirny

05/07/2009 9:53

Geography

www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10p.html 4/4