Fishing is also an important industry and the economies of many states that lie along the Gulf of Mexico are driven by the fishing industry. Deep below the surface, salt domes protrude from the seafloor and some of the . Warning: THIS DATA IS NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 1,615 metres (5,299ft). Fishing is productive in the Gulf because of the connection with Sarasota Bay and other local estuaries. They are known to be one of the smartest creatures in the animal kingdom. It has been estimated that the Gulf of Mexico yields more shrimp, finfish, and shellfish per year than the New England, Chesapeake, south, and Mid-Atlantic areas combined. The Gulf of Mexico covers roughly 615,000 mi (1.6 million km) and is about 930 miles (1,500 km) wide. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is 5,299 feet (1,615 meters) and the maximum depth is estimated to be 14,383 feet (4,384 meters). The strange geology of the floor of the Gulf is mostly caused by thick underlying layers of salt. 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. Thus, in 1559, Tristn de Luna y Arellano landed at Pensacola Bay and established a settlement. 6. Heres why each season begins twice. Check out these interesting facts to learn more about the Gulf of Mexico. Description [ edit] The basin is located in the southwestern quadrant of the Gulf, with its closest point to the U.S. coast at 200 miles (320 km) southeast of Brownsville, Texas. 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? Read our guide on transcendentalism for everything you need to know about key transcendentalist beliefs, an overview of the movement's history, and key players. ???? A Deep Dive into the United States First Underwater Museum, This article appears in the inaugural issue of 30AsBeach HappyMagazine. 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. Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also called Gulf of Mexico oil spill, largest marine oil spill in history, caused by an April 20, 2010, explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil riglocated in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles (66 km) off the coast of Louisianaand its subsequent sinking on April 22. Some of the significant ones include Blue whale, Brydes whale, Fin whale, Killer whale, Minke whale, Humpback whale, Sperm whale, and Northern right whale. 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. 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. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544. From the floor of the basin rise the Sigsbee Knolls, some of which attain heights of 1,300 feet (400 metres); these are surface expressions of the buried salt domes. 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. By fintasticinc March 22, 2016 Capt's. Corner. Coral reefs provide a thriving ecosystem that supports significant biodiversity in the Gulf. The basin is roughly circular in shape and approximately 810 nautical miles (1,500 km) wide. Birds were particularly vulnerable to the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A new high-resolution map of the floor of the Gulf of Mexico was released to the public. These floating feeding grounds can grow to be so large theyre detectable from space! The Gulf of Mexico is a large ocean basin near the Southeastern United States. In this article, we will look at 10 facts on the Gulf of Mexico you must know. They are fragile, ancient, and vital to the marine ecosystem. Besides the economic importance of the Gulf of Mexico, there are countless natural treasures to be found. There have been over 750 known shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. Several copepods of the family Zosimeidae were found in deep-sea sediment samples from the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California (Mexico). There are over a thousand types of fish in the Gulf of Mexico, including pelagic species, reef species. The black coral that lives in the Gulf has been found recently to be in the running for one of the oldest living things on earth. The entire basin is about 600,000 square miles (1.5 million sq km). coastline, at least 1,200 square miles of the deep ocean floor, and 68,000 square miles of surface water. It is rumored that they buried some of their stolen loot on the bay. . The Gulf of Mexico was likely formed roughly 300 million years ago when part of the ocean floor gradually sank due to plate tectonics. The Gulf of Mexico is a semi-enclosed basin connected, to the south, to the Caribbean Sea, and to the North Atlantic Ocean to the east. Oil and gas interests generate about $124 billion, nearly half the sum generated by all industries combined. 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. There are 4,000 drilling platforms there. A Comprehensive Guide. There have been over 750 known shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. The comparison is based on hull dimensions, including heave plate and structural support construction. 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. Thirty-one nominal species of the benthic harpacticoid family Zosimeidae Seifried, 2003 are known from several coastal systems less than 200 m depth and the deep sea. This is twice the size of Texas. Hurricane Harvey is tied with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest in U.S. history. A study showed that up to 800,000 birds were thought to have died. In the fall of 2021, nine new . Both oceans and gulfs are large bodies of saltwater, but gulfs are smaller and are bordered on three sides by land. Red tide algae blooms in the Gulf have led to large die-offs of marine species, and the Gulf of Mexico is reported to contain one of the highest levels of microplastics in the world. liters. Natural gas wasnt far behind, comprising 47 percent of the U.S. totals. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. Cuba is located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. There are nearly 2,000 different species! The feature known as Horseshoe Basin in the western Gulf of Mexico shows up far more clearly on the new high-resolution map (right). She holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from California State University. The climate of the Gulf of Mexico region varies from tropical to subtropical type. (Weird fact: not all black coral is black.). What caused the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? An ocean basin, it is bounded on the northeast, . . About 5 million acres of wetlands border the Gulf of Mexico. The Alabama Gulf Coast boasts the largest artificial reef program in the nation, with 1,136 square miles of artificial reefs located at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544 (accessed March 4, 2023). The Gulf of Mexico is known for beautiful white-sand beaches and exciting offshore fishing. In the United States, the Gulf of Mexico has four of the country's largest fishing ports, while in Mexico the region has eight of the top 20 largest. A National Geographic team has made the first ascent of the remote Mount Michael, looking for a lava lake in the volcanos crater. About 5 million acres of wetlands border the Gulf of Mexico. Briney, Amanda. South of Cocodrie at 28.09 degrees North and 90.71 degrees West, Diaphus Bank covers about 20 square miles. Scientists think the salt probably accumulated around the time when Africa was just starting to separate from the Americas around 200 million years ago. After numerous shipwrecks, the explorers decided to establish settlements in the lands surrounding the Gulf, to minimize the number of shipments from Europe. . "By clicking OK or by using this Website, you consent to the use of cookies. How deep is the Gulf of Mexico? 5. All rights reserved. It contains about 2,500 quadrillion liters of saltwater. They found evidence of sediment resuspension linked with oceanic phenomena. Population along the Gulf coast exploded in the 1950s, and the rising number of people living along the Gulf resulted in increased pollution problems. Kramer and Shedd report that after the 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill, marine biologists wanted a detailed map of the Gulf to help locate ecological communities that might have been impacted. of Mexico before you plan a fishing trip. Direct access to the Gulf of Mexico and miles of pristine sandy beaches. Ukraine Russia War Crisis: Everything You Wanted to Know. The Gulf of Mexico today is bordered by 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of U.S. coastline and is fed with water from 33 major rivers that flow out of the United States. [3] The actual maximum depth is disputed and estimates range between 3,750 and 4,384 metres (12,303 and 14,383 ft). depth (ft) Nearby waterbodies (689) The US states of Texas and Florida are recognized as the most rapidly growing states. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Score. This in turn stimulates plankton growth and attracts numerous shrimps, small fishes, and squids. 7. Clear Map How To Use Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 1 Click to place marker 1. Cleanupand fines cost BP $65 billion. The Deepwater Horizon rig, owned and operated by offshore-oil-drilling company Transocean and leased by oil company BP, was situated in the Macondo oil prospect in the Mississippi Canyon, a valley in the continental shelf. In this guide, we explain exactly where the Gulf of Mexico is and what its boundaries are, and we include a Gulf of Mexico map so you can see a visual of it. Photo credit: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program. The Gulf formed about 300 million years ago, and in all it encompasses 600,000 square miles. About 4 of the United States largest fishing ports are located in the Gulf of Mexico region. This involves towing high-powered underwater air guns behind a ship. 30A is the #1 Guide to Floridas Scenic Highway 30-A. The Mexican material represents new species of the genera Zosime Boeck, 1873, Peresime . The lake gets its foreboding name because of how salty the water is and how most things dont survive it. On the night of April 20 a surge of natural gas blasted through a concrete core recently installed by contractor Halliburton in order to seal the well for later use. Where Is the Gulf of Mexico? The Gulf of Mexico is fed by the waters of 33 American rivers, the largest of which is the Mississippi River. With that success, they realized they could map the whole Gulf of Mexico the same way. The deepest point is in the Mexico Basin ( Sigsbee Deep), which is 17,070 feet (5,203 metres) below sea level. . Look forBeach Happy magazine at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Publix, Kroger and other major outlets. 7. Various waterfowl, shorebirds, coral reef, and endangered sea turtles establish their habitats in the Gulf of Mexico which is crucial to their survival. Before the Gulf of Mexico exists the landscape was a continuous mountain range that spanned from Central Mexico up to West Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama where it connected to the Appalachia Mountains. 10. The evaporation and filling of saltwater in the basin over the millennia created deposits and mounds that today appear as cliffs bordering Sigsbee Deep. Some of these Gulf of Mexico sharks include bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, and lemon sharks. The rig capsized and sank on the morning of April 22, rupturing the riser, through which drilling mud had been injected in order to counteract the upward pressure of oil and natural gas. Over the centuries, people continued to use the Gulf of Mexico as a source of food and resources, as well as for navigation. These include: Atlantic Spotted dolphin, Striped dolphin, Frasers dolphin, Pantropical spotted dolphin, Clymene dolphin, and Spinner dolphin. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico by shore is roughly 5,200 feet. The area then filled with seawater, forming the Gulf of Mexico. Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 2. A mans world? There is a thriving range of wildlife living in the Gulf of Mexico and along its coastlines. The Gulf is a very accessible body of water. Floridas coral reefs attract visitors from around the world and generate more than $17 billion in tourism annually. How deep is the Gulf of Mexico? Transcendentalism was a key movement in 19th-century America, but many people still aren't sure what it was all about. The Annual John L. Borom Alabama Coastal Birdfest is a fantastic opportunity to witness these birds in action. While the Gulf of Mexico was once the source of colonization and discovery for early explorers, today its known for its four major industries oil and gas, shipping, fishing, and tourism. "Dude, you have some terrible luck. The Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin located close to the southeastern United States. It doesnt hurt that a large part of the Gulf is right over the North American Continental Shelves, which means the water is fairly shallow. The Gulf is about 1, 000 miles wide, as much as 14, 000 feet deep, and receives runoff from vast areas of the continent. It comprises a volume of around 2,500 quadrillions (a real number!) The fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico are considered to be one of the most productive in the world and the many Gulf Coast States have their economies centered on fishing in the gulf area. An important feature of the Gulf of Mexico is the Gulf Stream, which is a warm Atlantic current that begins in the region and flows north into the Atlantic Ocean. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
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