Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;"><DIV><DIV><P><SPAN>The </SPAN><SPAN>slope </SPAN><SPAN>geomorphic feature layer represents the spatial extent of the </SPAN><SPAN>slope </SPAN><SPAN>areas of the worlds oceans based on interpretation of the SRTM30 plus v7 global bathymetry model. The layer is one of the 25 layers that make up the global seafloor geomorphic features map (Harris et.al. 2014). </SPAN><SPAN><SPAN>The slope is “the deepening sea floor out from the shelf edge to the upper limit of the continental rise, or the point where there is a general decrease in steepness”</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> (IHO, 2008). In this study, the foot of slope was digitised manually at a nominal spatial scale of 1:500,000 in ArcGIS based on 100 m contours and 3D viewing. ArcGIS was used to highlight zones of abrupt changes in seabed gradient (contour spacing) which suggests the foot of slope in many areas. In areas where marginal plateaus abut the margin, the foot of slope was allowed to extend offshore to encompass the plateau feature, where a clear seaward dipping gradient was apparent. Otherwise the first significant decrease in gradient encountered in a seaward direction from the shelf break was selected as the foot of slope. Note our foot of slope locations are based only on bathymetric data and our interpretation is not intended to define the foot of slope under Article 76 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, particularly in areas of geomorphologically complex, continent-ocean transition.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV>
Copyright Text: The global seafloor geomorphic features map has been produced through a collaboration between Geoscience Australia, GRID-Arendal and Conservation International.
Reference: Harris et. al. (2014) Geomorphology of the oceans.Marine Geology (in Press)