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Geological Formation

Abyssal Fan

Landform Concepts

An abyssal fan, also known as a deep sea fan, underwater delta, or submarine fan, is an underwater geological structure built up by large scale sediment deposition from turbidity currents. Abyssal fans can be thought of as the underwater counterpart of alluvial fans and vary enormously in size, from a few kilometers to several thousand kilometers across. The largest is the Bengal Fan, followed by the Indus Fan, with other major fans found off the mouths of the Amazon, Congo, and Mississippi rivers, among others.

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Source Abyssal fan (Wikipedia)

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Source Abyssal fan (Wikipedia)
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Abyssal fan (Wikipedia)
  • In Discipline: Geomorphology, Lead paragraph
    Abyssal fans, also known as deep-sea fans, underwater deltas, and submarine fans, are underwater geological structures associated with large-scale sediment deposition and formed by turbidity currents.
  • Caused By: Sedimentation, Lead paragraph
    Abyssal fans, also known as deep-sea fans, underwater deltas, and submarine fans, are underwater geological structures associated with large-scale sediment deposition and formed by turbidity currents.
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