Introduction to Submarine Fans and Related Turbidite Systems

Abstract

Increased research and economic interest in submarine fans and ancient turbidite sequences provided the impetus to convene a meeting of specialists to discuss the status of existing knowledge and future directions of study. This small international group, known as COMFAN (COMmittee on FANs), provided updated reviews of 23 modern and ancient turbidite systems in a special issue of Geo-Marine Letters, which was used as the core for this publication. The COMFAN review is augmented by a select number of general contributions (without attempting to provide a complete survey of submarine fans and related turbidite systems) and the main results of the drilling on the Mississippi Fan.