what is the continental shelf
The continental shelf is an underwater landmass which extends from a continent, resulting in an area of relatively shallow water known as a shelf sea. Much of the shelves were exposed during glacial periods and interglacial periods.The shelf surrounding an island is known as an insular shelf.The continental margin, between the continental shelf and the abyssal plain, comprises a steep continental slope followed by the flatter continental rise.Sediment from the continent above cascades down the slope and accumulates as a pile of sediment at the base of the slope, called the continental rise.he shelf area is commonly subdivided into the inner continental shelf, mid continental shelf, and outer continental shelf, each with their specific geomorphology and marine biology. The character of the shelf changes dramatically at the shelf break, where the continental slope begins.