Exploring the Wonders of the Bengal Fan: Earth's Largest Submarine Fan The Formation and Sheer Size of the Bengal Fan The Bengal Fan, also known as the Ganges Fan, is the largest submarine fan on Earth, stretching an impressive 3,000 kilometers in length and 1,430 kilometers in width. This colossal feature is the result of the upliftment and erosion of the Himalayas, as well as the diverting plateau produced by the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The majority of the sediments that make up the Bengal Fan are supplied by the mighty Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. The Intricate Submarine Canyon System The sediments that form the Bengal Fan have been transported through a series of intricate submarine canyons, some of which can reach lengths of up to 2,014 kilometers. These turbidity currents, driven by the force of gravity, have deposited the sediments across an expansive area, reaching as far as 30 degrees latitude. The oldest sediments recovered f...