20
1 Introduction
The Arctic Ocean is a relatively small ocean surrounded by eight coastal States. In
recent years, significant progress has been made in mapping the seafloor and subsoil
of this ocean basin. There are several reasons for this increased activity. Global climate change has significantly reduced the area of permanent ice cover in the Arctic,
possibly the fastest warming area of the planet, making data acquisition possible,
albeit still difficult. The prospect of ice free areas in the Arctic ocean has also stimulated the search for natural resources of the seabed and subsoil, as well as opening
the potential for enhanced shipping lanes. All these activities should be considered
within the context of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS).
2 Continental Shelf
UNCLOS provides coastal States with sovereign rights over an exclusive economic
zone of up to 200 nautical miles from their coasts. Moreover, Article 76 of the
Convention gives them the opportunity to expand their continental shelves beyond
200 nautical miles, if they can demonstrate that the submerged prolongation of their
landmass under the sea exceeds that distance.
Proving such prolongation can be a significant challenge, particularly in complex
and remote geological areas. In 1997, a Commission of scientific experts, the
Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), was established under
the Convention to consider such submissions and make recommendations to coastal
States on matters related to the establishment of the outer limits of their continental
shelf. Both authors of this article were members of this Commission from 2012 to
2017. However, we would like stress that our comments do not necessarily reflect
the views of the CLCS.
In fulfillment of the provisions of Article 76 of the Convention the main data
types required are:
• Bathymetric (water-depth) data to delineate the foot of the continental slope and
the 2500 metre isobath;
• Seismic reflection and refraction data to determine the thickness of sedimentary
rocks, and also the nature of the underlying basement in some cases;
• Geology and rock samples in specific cases;
• Magnetic and gravity field data in support of the interpretations made as part of
a submission.
The Arctic Ocean is one region where the Law of the Sea has led to significant
acceleration of scientific research and mapping activities, since coastal States were
required to submit particulars of the limits of their continental shelves to the
Commission along with supporting scientific and technical data as soon as possible,
W. R. Roest and R. T. Haworth
1 Introduction
The Arctic Ocean is a relatively small ocean surrounded by eight coastal States. In
recent years, significant progress has been made in mapping the seafloor and subsoil
of this ocean basin. There are several reasons for this increased activity. Global climate change has significantly reduced the area of permanent ice cover in the Arctic,
possibly the fastest warming area of the planet, making data acquisition possible,
albeit still difficult. The prospect of ice free areas in the Arctic ocean has also stimulated the search for natural resources of the seabed and subsoil, as well as opening
the potential for enhanced shipping lanes. All these activities should be considered
within the context of the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law
of the Sea (UNCLOS).
2 Continental Shelf
UNCLOS provides coastal States with sovereign rights over an exclusive economic
zone of up to 200 nautical miles from their coasts. Moreover, Article 76 of the
Convention gives them the opportunity to expand their continental shelves beyond
200 nautical miles, if they can demonstrate that the submerged prolongation of their
landmass under the sea exceeds that distance.
Proving such prolongation can be a significant challenge, particularly in complex
and remote geological areas. In 1997, a Commission of scientific experts, the
Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), was established under
the Convention to consider such submissions and make recommendations to coastal
States on matters related to the establishment of the outer limits of their continental
shelf. Both authors of this article were members of this Commission from 2012 to
2017. However, we would like stress that our comments do not necessarily reflect
the views of the CLCS.
In fulfillment of the provisions of Article 76 of the Convention the main data
types required are:
• Bathymetric (water-depth) data to delineate the foot of the continental slope and
the 2500 metre isobath;
• Seismic reflection and refraction data to determine the thickness of sedimentary
rocks, and also the nature of the underlying basement in some cases;
• Geology and rock samples in specific cases;
• Magnetic and gravity field data in support of the interpretations made as part of
a submission.
The Arctic Ocean is one region where the Law of the Sea has led to significant
acceleration of scientific research and mapping activities, since coastal States were
required to submit particulars of the limits of their continental shelves to the
Commission along with supporting scientific and technical data as soon as possible,
W. R. Roest and R. T. Haworth