Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which rivers have carved especially large submarine canyons in the Indian Ocean?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
continental shelf
The broad, gentle pitch of the continental shelf gives way to the relatively steep continental slope. The more gradual transition to the abyssal plain is a sediment-filled region called the continental rise. The continental shelf, slope, and rise are collectively called the continental margin.
In the Indian Ocean, the Ganges River, the Indus River, and the Zambezi River have all carved particularly large submarine canyons into the continental slope.1
These rivers play a significant role in the geology of the region, as their substantial sediment loads extend well beyond the continental shelf. This sediment contributes to the formation of the continental rise at the foot of the slope and helps build the abyssal plains of their respective basins. Notably, the sediment cone associated with the Ganges is recognized as the widest and thickest in the world.1