Ocean Floor Formation in the Zones of the Continental Margin Tectonic Plates Bending: a Case Study of the Abyssal Trenches

Current report on the course “Continental Margin Tectonics and Marine Geodynamics” is intended to highlight the problem of the ocean trench formation of ocean seafloor geomorphological structure in the zones of the continental margin tectonic plates bending. A case study of this essay is morphology of the abyssal ocean trenches and how we can measure and analyze the structure of the ocean floor in the least reachable locations of the world ocean. The report consists of five chapters. The introduction chapter is aimed at understanding the structure of the main geomorphological elements of the continental margin tectonics, as well as the basics of the marine geology are summarized. The second chapter is focused on the studies of the trench morphology, classification and problems of their arising in the tectonic plates. The seabed of the world ocean mid-ocean ridges, transform faults and their relationship with rift valleys, volcanic structures, deep-water basins, are reviewed in this chapter. The third chapter is focused on the methods of studying and surveying ocean seafloor. It also concerns the basic information on the history of the ocean studies, research methods and instruments. The special part describes the ocean floor sampling: dredging and drilling as examples of the geological analysis methods, structure of passive and active outskirts. Moreover, an attention is paid to the application of the echo sounder devices: their history, types of sounders, as well as adjacent areas of mainland and islands