ThoughtCo. coastline, at least 1,200 square miles of the deep ocean floor, and 68,000 square miles of surface water. (2021, September 8). The Gulf of Mexico is a part of the Atlantic Ocean and is considered an ocean basin and marginal sea. 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. Hurricane Season of Gulf of Mexico: The hurricane season officially begins at the beginning of June and ends in late November. How deep is the Gulf of Mexico at its furthest point from its surface? Along the south and southwest, the Gulf of Mexico is bordered by the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche,and Yucatn. Two days later, following a series of pressure tests, it was announced that the well was completely sealed. But its not just another waterway. A mans world? Introduction. Have some feedback for us? The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest ocean basinin the world, covering almost 600,000 square miles. Today, the most serious pollution threats to the Gulf of Mexico come from oil drilling and agricultural runoff. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. Over the next 150 million years the gulf continued to deepen and enlarge with the movements of the earth. A study showed that up to 800,000 birds were thought to have died. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. It borders the coasts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida as well as the island of Cuba and parts of Mexico. n o date, more than $11.6 billion has been paid to Gulf-area T The Jacuzzi of Despair as its called, is a combination of methane gas and hydrogen sulfide that kills all creatures who enter it. Gulfs are formed as a result of plate tectonics and are usually larger and more deeply indented than the bays. Louisiana is an especially important stop along their journey between Latin America and the breeding grounds in North America with nearly 2.5 million landing each day to rest. Ask questions; get answers. Check out these interesting facts to learn more about the Gulf of Mexico. 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 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. Briney, Amanda. About 60% of the Gulf is less than 700 feet deep. Though fitted loosely over the BOP and allowing some oil to escape, the cap enabled BP to siphon approximately 15,000 barrels of oil per day to a tanker. The Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin located close to the southeastern United States. Some of the significant ones include Blue whale, Brydes whale, Fin whale, Killer whale, Minke whale, Humpback whale, Sperm whale, and Northern right whale. 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. Because it is a warm current, sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are normally also warm, which feeds Atlantic hurricanes and helps in giving them strength. Check out our guide on the 13 colonies for everything you need to know about the colonies and how the US came to be. The Sigsbee Deep, named for the commander and surveyor Charles Dwight Sigsbee, who discovered it, is the deepest point in the Gulf of Mexico averaging between 3,750 and 4,384 meters. The exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico feed the powerful Atlantic hurricanes which in turn cause widespread destruction. Monster Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Snapper, Cobia, and . The Gulf is a very accessible body of water. She has a wonderful poodle-terrier mix named Nelson, and together, they enjoy long walks, outdoor adventures, and playing with his many toys. Construction of two such wells had begun in May. How many miles deep is the Gulf of Mexico? There is much speculation as to what caused the explosions. 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. When does spring start? Over 750 historical shipwrecks have occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, some of which date back to the 16th century. 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. Some of the notable species include Southern Moon jelly, Mushroom jelly, Upside-down jelly, Cannonball jellyfish, Atlantic Sea Nettle, Pink Meanie, and Portuguese Man of War. Cuba is located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. The plan would mainly limit drilling to the Gulf of Mexico, with one proposed lease sale in waters off Alaska. 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. At Mow Answers, we do maps and stories for a living. (Weird fact: not all black coral is black.). 03 Shaded Relief Images. Unauthorized use is prohibited. It is so dense with salt that it does not mix with the surrounding water, just sits there as its own pool of despair in the middle of Gulf waters. Most areas incurred over 40 inches of rain within a 4-day period, in contrast, Nederland, Texas saw an astonishing 60 inches of rainfall! The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. 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. They are fragile, ancient, and vital to the marine ecosystem. Who owned the rig responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? Besides the economic importance of the Gulf of Mexico, there are countless natural treasures to be found. Not sure where the Gulf of Mexico is? Recreational and commercial fishing, water sports, scuba diving, and tourism also forms a significant part of the economy of the surrounding areas. An ocean basin, it is bounded on the northeast, . Unfortunately, oil spills have caused irreparable damage while overfishing, pollution, and more threaten this critical resource. Once released, the natural gas traveled up a riser to the platform of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that was over the well, where it ignited, killing 11 workers and injuring 17. The Mississippi is the largest river that drains into the Gulf of Mexico and carries with it an extraordinary amount of these contaminants into the Gulf. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544. Although Native Americans living in the region used the Gulf of Mexico for centuries as a source of food and building materials, the first European to explore the Gulf was Italian Amerigo Vespucci in 1497. Oil and gas interests generate about $124 billion, nearly half the sum generated by all industries combined. They die when they enter and are preserved by the high salt content, pickled in their tracks! We had been planning a trip to run deep into the Gulf, but . These complex ecosystems include corals, fish, anemones, sponges, and sea cucumbers-but limited knowledge about these habitats creates challenges for their restoration. . Through the process of upwelling, which occurs near the Florida coast of the Gulf, the cooler nutrient-rich water from the deeper parts of the Gulf is brought to the surface. Most of the basin consists of shallow intertidal areas, but its deepest point is called Sigsbee Deep and has an estimated depth of about 14,383 feet (4,384 m). What ACT target score should you be aiming for? 5. . The entire basin is about 600,000 square miles (1.5 million sq km). 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. Though similar to the failed top kill, mud could be injected at much lower pressures during the static kill because of the stabilizing influence of the capping stack. West views and deep water! Following the continental shelf edge westward, Diaphus Bank rises about 48 miles west of the Mississippi Trough. 617,800 mi Gulf of Mexico/Area. The Gulf of Mexico is a highly biodiverse area and features many 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. In the Sarasota area the Gulf is best known for beautiful white-sand beaches and exciting offshore fishing. Eighteen percent of the country's oil comes from offshore wells in the Gulf. The casual observer would need to watch the coral for many years possibly hundreds to notice any difference in its growth, however. When did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill happen? When an attempt to employ a top kill, whereby drilling mud was pumped into the well to stanch the flow of oil, also failed, BP in early June turned to an apparatus called the Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) cap. Human activities in and around the Gulf of Mexico such as agricultural practices, oil spills, and shipwrecks are harming the ecosystem. This surpassed the 3.3 million barrels that spilled into the Bay of Campeche by the Mexican rig Ixtoc I in 1979. 2014). This year, the Mississippi River flooded for more than 6 months, unprecedented in both length of time and volume of water. The US states of Texas and Florida are recognized as the most rapidly growing states. Briney, Amanda. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. But it wasnt good enough for biologists who needed a more detailed picture of the area around the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill so they could assess the ecological damage. Final Reports FINAL REPORT: Congressional Letters - Offshore Whistleblower Protection 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). Houston, New Orleans, Cancun, Tampa, Key West, Havana, San Francisco de Campeche, Mobile, Gulfport, Tampico, Veracruz, Ciudad del Carmen, Coatzacoalcos, Corpus Christi are some of the major urban settlements along the Gulf. Recreation and tourism are also a significant part of the economy of the lands surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. Not according to biology or history. Now that youre familiar with the Gulf of Mexico, its time to start planning a beach trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach! SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. Some portions of the loop current often break away, forming gyres or eddies which further affects the regional current patterns. Its four times as salty as the nearby seawater and is warmer as well. The cited reference discusses differences in United States and IHO committee views and variations between names recommended by the Advisory Committee on Undersea Features (ACUF) of the U. S. BGN and the GEBCO committee.
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