Abstract
In a geological/geographical context, the term escarpment is defined as a long cliff or steep slope that has resulted from erosional processes or faulting. The specific reasons why escarpments form on the seabed can be many fold (although faulting is no longer an active process on the Irish margin). Escarpments can form as a result of strong, slope-parallel bottom currents, or as the scars left following submarine (land)slides. In addition, they can be associated with morphological features such as canyons and seamounts. Regardless of the formation processes, escarpments are the results of erosive processes active on the continental slope.
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Dorschel, B., Wheeler, A.J., Monteys, X., Verbruggen, K. (2010). Escarpments. In: Atlas of the Deep-Water Seabed. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9376-1_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9376-1_9
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