A submarine fan is a large, fan-shaped deposit of sediment found on the ocean floor, typically at the base of continental slopes. These fans are formed by turbidity currents and are significant in sedimentology for understanding deep-sea sedimentation processes and the distribution of marine sediments.
Reference: Normark, W. R., & Piper, D. J. W. (1991). “Submarine Fan Systems: Process and Products of Turbidity Currents.” Earth-Science Reviews, 29(3-4), 177-236.