Antarctic continental shelf

The Antarctic continental shelf is the submerged extension of the continent's landmass, lying beneath the Southern Ocean. It spans roughly 1,000 kilometers outward from the coast and contains a relatively shallow, sloping area where the ocean floor is less deep than the deep ocean basin. This region is ecologically significant, supporting diverse marine life, and contains substantial ice deposits and potential natural resources like minerals and fossil fuels. The shelf plays a critical role in climate and ocean systems, as it influences ocean circulation and helps regulate global temperatures through its ice cover and interactions with melting glaciers.