Summary:
- Submarine canyons, deep underwater valleys, were previously thought to be formed by rivers flowing into the ocean. However, new research has shown that this is not the case.
- The study found that submarine canyons are actually created by powerful underwater currents, known as turbidity currents, which carry sediment and debris down the seafloor.
- These turbidity currents are triggered by events like underwater landslides or earthquakes, and they can flow at speeds of up to 60 mph, carving out the deep, steep-sided canyons over time.