Please be respectful of copyright. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Gulf was first explored by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497. At Mow Answers, we do maps and stories for a living. Now that's deep! Boasting some of the worlds most diverse coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean and Florida, the Gulf of Mexico also is home to black coral, which is the oldest living marine organism currently known. nutrient-enriched waters from the deep by a process known as upwelling, which stimulates plankton growth in the euphotic zone. It is a popular fishing destination, and its waters are used for transportation, recreation, and tourism. The Gulf of Mexico has been a source of oil since 1938, when the first oil well was drilled there. For its immense natural resources and historical significance, not many are aware of this Gulf and its role in trade and commerce. Northern Gulf of Mexico deepwater bathymetry grid created from 3D seismic surveys. The First European Settlement Was at Pensacola Bay, Over 60 Million Americans Live Along the Gulf. The 30A Company | 30A, Beach Happy and Life Shines are Registered Trademarks, By: Shannon Serpette | Posted Dec 17, 2021, The Five Beachiest Birds to Look for in the Sand and Skies, As a beach lover its likely you know that birds, much like other beach features, are never the same at every beach. The Gulf of Mexico is home to more than 750 known shipwrecks, ranging from modern wrecks all the way back to the 16thcentury. These strange, complex configurations are part of the geology that created the conditions that allowed vast oil deposits to collect. But the Gulf is also a habitat for other sea animals including dolphins, whales, sea turtles, and manatees. The exploration companies use 3-D seismic imaging to map areas of the Gulf they are interested in. Eleven people died in the explosion and an estimated 5,000 barrels of oil per day leaked into the Gulf of Mexico from the 18,000-foot (5,486 m) well on the platform. Now thats deep! environmental disaster, Gulf of Mexico [2010]. Cleanup crews attempted to burn the oil off of the water, gather the oil and move it, and block it from hitting the coast. 4. The small juvenile turtles also depend on the sargassum habitats in the open ocean for their survival. You may commission us to create customized maps, infographics and stories as well. Final Reports FINAL REPORT: Congressional Letters - Offshore Whistleblower Protection Some bivalve species that are found here include oysters, mussels, clams, and scallops. How deep is the Gulf of Mexico? The Gulf of Mexico is exploited for oil and hence several offshore oil drilling rigs have been drilled for exploration and mining in the Bay of Campeche and the western Gulf region. The Florida Panhandle becomes a magical realm when you put on scuba gear, dive in the ocean, and breathe underwater. Efforts to protect and conserve the thriving ecosystem found here are a serious priority as continuous ecological discoveries are being made and new species are being discovered. Due to its large size and the complex current system, the Gulf of Mexico has a diverse ecology, ranging from the coastal zone, which serves as a nursery for all types of marine life, to the deep waters of the abyssal plain where colonies of deep-sea coral grow on the seafloor. Warning: THIS DATA IS NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION Its no secret that the best seafood comes from the Gulf, which is why 75% of the shrimp in the United States comes from the Gulf of Mexico. A gulf is an inlet of the ocean into the land. This beautiful body of water is what brings people from all over to our destination. The Joshua Channel (labeled channel-levee) in the eastern Gulf of Mexico stands out clearly on the new high-resolution map of the sea floor. This has led to the creation of dead zones in the Gulf Region, which runs east-west for over 22,730 km2 along the coasts of Louisiana and Texas. These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? Monster Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Snapper, Cobia, and . The southeast is bordered by the northwest portion of Cuba, which includes the capital, Havana. Thank you for reading! A new high-resolution map of the floor of the Gulf of Mexico was released to the public. Please select which sections you would like to print: Richard Pallardy received a B.A. Maybe youre aware that its located along the Gulf coast but dont know the exact boundaries, or maybe youre trying to figure out if its part of the Atlantic Ocean or not. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! The Gulf of Mexico is shallower, saltier, and warmer than the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf of Mexico itself and the regions surrounding it are highly biodiverse and feature large fishing economies. The entire basin is about 600,000 square miles (1.5 million sq km). "Size of Spill in Gulf of Mexico is Larger than Thought. Cuba is located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. of Mexico before you plan a fishing trip. Direct access to the Gulf of Mexico and miles of pristine sandy beaches. Updates? After the discovery of Cuba and Mexico by the early Europeans, Spain had led a military invasion through the Gulf to colonize these areas. About 4 of the United States largest fishing ports are located in the Gulf of Mexico region. An underwater brine pool off the coast of New Orleans, known as the Hot Tub of Despair, was found in the Gulf of Mexico in 2014. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. This striking view of the ocean floor off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas was created by a government agency youve likely never heard of called the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). It borders the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida as well as the island of Cuba and parts of Mexico. The first oil well was drilled in the Gulf in 1938. So is the Gulf of Mexico an ocean? They are known to be one of the smartest creatures in the animal kingdom. [2] As described below there is some confusion of names that apply to the basin or a particular point in the basin with both being found in technical and popular literature applying to both basin and the coordinates. The western end of the island of Cuba forms a partial barrier to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, where it joins the Caribbean Sea. The second had been intended to serve as a backup and was not completed. An ocean basin, it is bounded on the northeast, . The Gulf of Mexico is an important economic region for all the three countries (Cuba, Mexico, and United States) that border it. In the United States the population of the coastal regions surrounding the Gulf of Mexico is estimated to number more than 60 million people by 2025, as states such as Texas (the second most populous state) and Florida (the third most populous state) are growing quickly. Transcendentalism was a key movement in 19th-century America, but many people still aren't sure what it was all about. . Once released by the fracture of the core, the natural gas traveled up the Deepwater rigs riser to the platform, where it ignited, killing 11 workers and injuring 17. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. Two days later, following a series of pressure tests, it was announced that the well was completely sealed. The US states of Texas and Florida are recognized as the most rapidly growing states. To the south and southwest, the Gulf of Mexico is bordered by Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico encompasses around 617,800 square miles of water and stretches around 932 miles across from east to west. A study showed that up to 800,000 birds were thought to have died. The oil well over which it was positioned was located on the seabed 4,993 feet (1,522 metres) below the surface and extended approximately 18,000 feet (5,486 metres) into the rock. Thus, in 1559, Tristn de Luna y Arellano landed at Pensacola Bay and established a settlement. Over the next 150 million years the gulf continued to deepen and enlarge with the movements of the earth. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 1,615 metres (5,299ft). The largest of these rivers is the Mississippi River. Eleven of the 126 workers on the rig were killed and, over the following 87 days, an estimated 3.19 million barrels (~134 million gallons) of oil spilled into the Gulf . ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? These four industries produce nearly $234 billion annually. It Holds as Much Power as Beauty The Gulf of Mexico is a rich reservoir of natural gas and oil. The lake gets its foreboding name because of how salty the water is and how most things dont survive it. The wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico cover around 5 million acres (2.02 million hectares). "Geography of the Gulf of Mexico." [3] The Sigsbee Abyssal Plain is the deepest and flattest sector of the deep basin.[1]. Not sure where the Gulf of Mexico is? The deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico, Sigsbee Deep, is estimated to be around 14,383 feet deep while the average depth is around 5,300 feet. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 1,600 meters, or 5,200 feet. The Gulf of Mexico is a highly biodiverse area and features many coastal wetlands and mangrove forests. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The distance will be displayed below the map in miles or kilometers. The Gulf of Mexico supports different species of flora and fauna and is widely recognized for its diversity and productivity. 7. "Flaming Oil Rig Sinks in Gulf of Mexico. It was used by the early Europeans as an exploration route to explore the Americas. These animals can sniff it out. Thankfully close to 80% of hurricanes formed lose strength and dissipate before reaching land. The biota of the Gulf includes different chemosynthetic and non-chemosynthetic organisms ranging from microorganisms like benthos, meiofauna to other macro-organisms like crabs, sea pens, crinoids, and other marine fauna. On April 20, 2010, BP's mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon exploded, burned, and subsequently sank in the Gulf of Mexico 52 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana. Where is the deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico? Looking at a map you may not realize that the Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Oceans, the largest bodies of water in the world, have no exact boundaries, and they are bordered by seas (the Caribbean Sea separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean). Her family is still awaiting justice. The Gulf of Mexico also features numerous coastal wetlands and mangrove forests. Covering an area of 1,507,639 km2, the Gulf of Mexico is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean and the worlds largest gulf. The Gulf of Mexico is located below the southeastern portion of the United States. The deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico, Sigsbee Deep, is estimated to be around 14,383 feet deep while the average depth is around 5,300 feet. They took all the best survey data from more than 200 individual maps made by exploration companies of parts of the Gulf and combined them into a map of the whole region with resolution of around 1,600 square feet per pixel about the size of the average American family home. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544. Forensic analysis of the BOP completed the following year determined that a set of massive blades known as blind shear ramsdesigned to slice through the pipe carrying oilhad malfunctioned because the pipe had bent under the pressure of the rising gas and oil. Additional explorers, such as Francisco Hernndez de Crdoba Pnfilo de Narvez later explored the area, often capturing and enslaving local people as they did so. The Gulf of Mexico is somewhat shallow, along the coastal continental shelf areas, and has an average depth of 1,615m. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. At least 49 different species of sharks have been known to hang out in the gulf waters. An ocean basin is simply any large area covered with seawater and located below sea level. ThoughtCo, Sep. 8, 2021, thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina swept over the Gulf of Mexico and storm surges caused 53 levees to be breached which flooded 80% of New Orleans. Only a vague outline of this bizarre landscape was visible on the old map, which had a resolution of 27,000 square feet per pixel, actually quite good for the seafloor. How big is the Gulf of Mexico? At least 33 species of whales are found in the Gulf of Mexico. The roughly 5,000-year-old human remains were found in graves from the Yamnaya culture, and the discovery may partially explain their rapid expansion throughout Europe. Besides the economic importance of the Gulf of Mexico, there are countless natural treasures to be found. Unfortunately, yes. Briney, Amanda. The Gulf of Mexico supports huge populations of fishes. The coral is estimated to be over 2,000 years old. In early July the LMRP cap was removed for several days so that a more permanent seal could be installed; this capping stack was in place by July 12. Click to place marker 2. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. Both are partially detailed in a lengthy 1975 National Academy of Sciences report on ocean contaminants. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 1,600 meters, or 5,200 feet. Looking for more fun facts? One escarpment has a towering drop of 1,220 meters and extends for 560 kilometers, or 348 miles. It is estimated that around 10,000 bottlenose dolphins live in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The area of the Gulf of Mexico is about 615,000 square mi (1.6 million square km). The use of "Sigsbee" for the feature originates from Commander Charles Dwight Sigsbee's Gulf of Mexico surveys that defined the general features of the body while commanding officer of the USC&GS George S. Blake. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the worst oil spill in history, leaving almost 5 million barrels of oil in the Gulf. They are often connected to the ocean by narrow water passages but that is not always observed in all geographical areas. At least 25 species of shark are found in the Gulf of Mexico region. The Gulf of Mexico is a rich reservoir of natural gas and oil. You can spot them and learn more about their life on the Alabama Gulf Coast on a dolphin cruise. The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation, 10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, 10 Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast, The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches, The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, 4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night, 10 Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Vacation, 5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation, Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation, Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels, 10 Things to do with Teens in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, 5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach, The Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier. Corrections? The Gulf of Mexico is known for beautiful white-sand beaches and exciting offshore fishing. About 5 million acres of wetlands border the Gulf of Mexico. One hundred miles southeast of Galveston's muddy shoreline, the Gulf of Mexico becomes a dazzling, vibrant blue. . This entailed pumping cement through a channelknown as a relief wellthat paralleled and eventually intersected the original well. With millions of gallons of oil spilled in the sea, the response effort was large and has lasted for over a decade. This cross section has been derived from recently collected deep-penetration seismic reflection profiles collected by industry. With the consent of the seven companies, the BOEM released the map to the public. Now that youre familiar with the Gulf of Mexico, its time to start planning a beach trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach! There is much speculation as to what caused the explosions. For-Hire Fishing Permits in the Gulf of Mexico All Recreational Anglers need a saltwater recreational fishing license or registration from a state or U.S. territory except Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. In this article, we will look at 10 facts on the Gulf of Mexico you must know. visits the Gulf of Mexico. Further exploration of the Gulf of Mexico continued throughout the 1500s, and after numerous shipwrecks in the region, settlers and explorers decided to establish a settlement along the northern Gulf Coast. Located close to the Continental Shelf, you'll find waters as deep as 600 feet just 10-12 miles from shore. The North-West Gulf of Mexico. They die when they enter and are preserved by the high salt content, pickled in their tracks! The economics of the area as well as the environment thus are sensitive to pollution. In Florida, for example, Florida state waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles on the Gulf . The Sigsbee Deep, 200 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas, is estimated to be between 12,300 to 14,383 feet. Without any opposing force, oil began to discharge into the gulf. 11 Facts You Should Know. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Gulf of Mexico water temperature: The surface water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico, as recorded in February, varies from 18C in the northern part of the Gulf to about 24C off the Yucatn coast. "Dude, you have some terrible luck. The plan would mainly limit drilling to the Gulf of Mexico, with one proposed lease sale in waters off Alaska. Marc Pagani Photography/Shutterstock.com. Recreation and tourism are also a significant part of the economy of the lands surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. Bats and agaves make tequila possibleand theyre both at risk, This empress was the most dangerous woman in Rome. So, while the average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is not incredibly deep, there are some areas that are quite deep.
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