The Features Of The Ocean Floor
Three quarters of the earth consists of ocean water.
The features of the ocean floor. Occasionally so much magma is extruded that a rise or plateau with unusually thick crust forms. The bottom of the ocean is flat because of sediments constantly building up there at an even rate. Continental margin and oceanic divisions.
Until the development of sonar we knew very little about the ocean floor. Life on the ocean floor is sparse. The deep ocean is dark very cold and has tremendous pressure from the overlying water.
All these details are incorporated on underwater topography maps. These sediments fall into three types. Most of the remaining features of the ocean floor result from large outpourings of magma which typically form submarine volcanoes.
Science has established that the topography of the ocean floor is similar to the ground topography with features such as valleys mountains and plateaus. This landscape is pretty unique. Scuba divers can explore only to about 40 meters while most submarines dive only to about 500 meters.
These canyons abysses and slopes make up the landscape of the ocean floor. Perhaps the most conspicuous example is the icelandic pla teau which protrudes above sea level. Siliceous oozes from silica shells calcareous oozes from calcite shells and red clays from windblown sand and micrometeorites.