The relief is the set of forms presented by the Earth ‘s surface. However, in the depths of the ocean there are also variations in terrain and are known as oceanic relief.
Formation and distribution of oceanic relief
The dynamics of the earth’s inner layers give rise to both continental and oceanic relief. Mountains, mountain ranges, hills, plains and plateaus are examples of continental relief.
In the underwater relief, geographic accidents also appear. In them, rounded, leveled and gentle slopes predominate. On the other hand, the continental shelves are located in the depths of the sea and are a part of the continent that continues under water until reaching 200 meters deep. Ocean Relief
The regions or bathal zones extend to where the continental shelf ends and reach about a thousand meters. Then, there are the abyssal regions, of which residues of organic origin predominate (these areas vary from one thousand to five meters). Finally, there are the Mariana Trenches, which are the deepest ocean depths.
The oceanic relief has changed throughout the planet’s history
We can say that this evolution starts when a continental mass is broken by forces that pull it in opposite directions. This causes an immersion of the region and the formation of an oceanic valley with a ridge in the center (these ridges are mountain ranges of great extension and a consequence of the movement of the oceanic crust plates). Ocean Relief
On the ocean floor there is also volcanic activity
Volcanoes are not exclusive to the Earth’s surface. In fact, there are underwater volcanoes and some of them are active. An active underwater volcano can trigger a tsunami.
The eruptions of undersea volcanoes are very powerful and their effects can be devastating (some of these volcanoes can form new islands). On the other hand, underwater volcanoes have regular cycles and because of this can cause changes in the planet’s climate .
Until today there have been few volcanic eruptions, but scientists believe that in the future this phenomenon will be able to better understand the evolution of oceanic reliefs. Ocean Relief
