| On the legal basis of the regime for continental shelf established by the1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, hereafter be shorted asConvention), coastal states can claim continental shelf as well as its sovereignty rightincluding exploring it and exploiting its natural resources. While the delineation of theouter limits of the continental shelf more relies on the scientific interpretation of theregime for continental shelf and technological means. In this paper, regard study onthe legal principle and its application conditions as a starting point, the submissionsand preliminary information present by the coastal states in the Arctic, Scientific andTechnical Guidelines as well as the recommendations on the abovementionedsubmissions of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) asreference, the principle of natural prolongation was interpreted in scientific direction,especially in the direction of marine geology, the geological character of the foot ofthe continental slope in different setting was analyzed and discrimination principlerelated to three kinds of ridges mentioned in the Convention was formulated. Takingthe Arctic for example, firstly, determined the locations of the foot of the continentalslope around the Arctic Ocean, and drew two formula lines and two limited lines byGIS software such as CARIS and ARCGIS based on the data of base points, waterdepth, topography, sedimentary thickness. Secondly, analyzed geological structureand evolution history of the Arctic Ocean and judged reasonably the attributes ofridges in the Arctic Ocean to discuss their effect on the delineation of the continentalshelf taking advantage of the latest geological and geophysics data information..Finally, defined the possible extended continental shelf and the potential internationalseabed area to compare and make an analysis of rationality of the coastal states’ claimand discuss existed disputes. The main research work and results are given as follows:(1) The legal meaning of the continental shelf is close to but not same as thecontinental margin in geology. When the continental margin is less than200nautical miles in width, the continental shelf can expand to200nautical miles according to theConvention including the continental margin and some part of deep ocean floor; if thecontinental margin exceeds the limited lines regulated by the Convention, the outerpart of the continental margin is not referred as continental shelf.(2) There are still in dispute in the Beaufort Sea between Canada and USA and theArctic Ocean between Canada and Greenland.(3) Although straight baselines employed by Russia and Canada in the Arctic arenot completely compatible with the spirit of the Convention, their influence over theouter limit of the continental shelf is small.(4) The foot of the continental shelf around the Arctic Ocean was determinedbased on the global topography-bathymetry data ETOPO2by CARIS. The resultsshow that Lomonosov Ridge, Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge, Chukchi Plateau, YermakPlateau and Morris Jesup Rise are all continuous to the continental margin ingeomorphology.(5) A discrimination principle related to three kinds of ridges was summarized:first, it is independent on the crust nature; second, continuity in geomorphology is thechiefly condition; third, continuity in geological character and origin is the essence.The oceanic ridge can be judged directly by its location, on the deep ocean floor, nomatter the continuity or relationship with the deep ocean floor in the geologicalcharacter or origin. Submarine ridge submarine elevation are both connected to thecontinental margin in geomorphology, but the former has discrepancy in geologicalcharacter and origin entirely or partly, the later has continuity both in geomorphologyand in geological character and origin whole.(6) Through the latest geological and geophysical data analysis the LomonosovRidge, of continental crust, was rifted and separated from the Barents-Sea margin, sothat it is referred as ‘submarine elevation’ in this paper. Compared with LomonosovRidge, the origin of Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge is still in dispute. However, it wasintruded and reconstructed by the mafic rock, which induced that the whole or part ofAlpha-Mendeleev Ridge substantially changed. Therefore, it is suitable to beclassified as submarine ridge. In addition, geological evolution of the Arctic Ocean indicates that Chukchi Plateau， Yermak Plateau and Morris Jesup Rise all belong tosubmarine elevation as the natural components of the continental margin of ChukchiSea Greenland and Svalbard Islands respectively.(7) The claims of the coastal states that carve up the Arctic Ocean taking the NorthPole as center are likely to be an accomplished fact because of the Lomonosov ridge. |
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