How deep is the Gulf of Mexico? Its four times as salty as the nearby seawater and is warmer as well. 9. No, although many people make that mistake, as the definition of an ocean is actually somewhat vague. These nutrients favor the growth of algae and results in an algal bloom. Here are 11 facts about the geography of the region: The Gulf of Mexico likely formed as a result of seafloor subsidence (or the gradual sinking of the seafloor) about 300 million years ago. The Padre Island is the worlds longest barrier island. The Annual John L. Borom Alabama Coastal Birdfest is a fantastic opportunity to witness these birds in action. The Gulf of Mexico has a maximum width of 932.06 miles and a surface area of approximately 600,000 square miles. How Far Until You Reach the Seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico? How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. (April 23, 2010). A Deep Dive into the United States First Underwater Museum, This article appears in the inaugural issue of 30AsBeach HappyMagazine. It has been estimated by researchers that the Gulf of Mexico was formed as a result of seafloor subsidence, due to the movement of the Tectonic Plates over 300 million years ago. The Gulf of Mexico is shallower, saltier, and warmer than the Atlantic Ocean. 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. Seabirds, fish, and reptiles are abundant, as well as bottlenose dolphins, a large population of sperm whales, and sea turtles. Now that's deep! . The Gulf of Mexico shares its borders with the United States on the north, northeast, and northwest, and Mexico on the southwest, and the south. The entire basin is about 600,000 square miles (1.5 million sq km). What if we could clean them out? Off the sands in Florida lies a 360-mile stretch of coral Reefs which developed 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. "A recent forecast of the size of the 'Dead ZoneR Over the centuries, people continued to use the Gulf of Mexico as a source of food and resources, as well as for navigation. This is the text I received from Captain Steve Papen after yet another cancelled trip due to unfavorable conditions. ThoughtCo, Sep. 8, 2021, thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544. Only about 800,000 barrels had been captured. The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world at a width of 810 nautical miles (1,500 km). She has taught English and biology in several countries. Both oceans and gulfs are large bodies of saltwater, but gulfs are smaller and are bordered on three sides by land. On August 3 BP conducted a static kill, a procedure in which drilling mud was pumped into the well through the BOP. Where is the deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico? We've gathered 113 of the most amazing facts you can use to impress anyone you meet. The floor of the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most geologically interesting stretches of the Earth's surface. There is much speculation as to what caused the explosions. "Dude, you have some terrible luck. The Gulf of Mexico also features numerous coastal wetlands and mangrove forests. Cuba is located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. Measuring from Florida to the Yucatan, the coastline of the Gulf measures 3,540 miles long and boasts some of the worlds best beaches. 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. 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. Beach Happy ???????? 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. You can try your hand at the pirates life with an adventure on a pirate ship cruise in Orange Beach. Click on a 1 degree by 1 degree square for access to low and high resolution images. Now that's deep! Go the Distance. Gulfs are formed as a result of plate tectonics and are usually larger and more deeply indented than the bays. "Size of Spill in Gulf of Mexico is Larger than Thought. How many miles deep is the Gulf of Mexico? 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). About 4 of the United States largest fishing ports are located in the Gulf of Mexico region. Interested in early American history? SANTA CRUZ, Calif. For the first time, scientists have been able to validate the age of deep-sea black corals in the Gulf of Mexico. nutrient-enriched waters from the deep by a process known as upwelling, which stimulates plankton growth in the euphotic zone. However, in portions such as The Sigsbee Deep, which is 2 miles southwest of Brownsville, Texas, the depths reach up to 4,384 meters, or 14,383 feet! The feature known as Horseshoe Basin in the western Gulf of Mexico shows up far more clearly on the new high-resolution map (right). Supported by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA) Ocean Exploration and Research, the research team recently completed an expedition into the Green Banana Blue Hole . The Gulf is a very accessible body of water. It is a part of the Atlantic Ocean and is bounded by Mexico to the southwest, Cuba to the southeast, and the Gulf Coast of the United States on the north, which includes the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas (map). Photo credit: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program. It is widely believed, that the impact that led to the creation of this crater had triggered a series of catastrophic events, which ultimately led to the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The Gulf of Mexico is roughly oval-shaped with a long dimension of about 950 mi (1,500 km). The two designs are sized and analyzed for the new Gulf of Mexico metocean criteria. Thus, in 1559, Tristn de Luna y Arellano landed at Pensacola Bay and established a settlement. Half of the crater is located on land while the other half is under the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 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. The Gulfs basin is unusually flat, with a gradient of only about 1 foot per every 8,000 feet. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! To the south and southwest, the Gulf of Mexico is bordered by 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 Gulf of Mexico is somewhat shallow, along the coastal continental shelf areas, and has an average depth of 1,615m. Our area is home to the largest fleet of charter fishing boats on the Gulf of Mexico, with over 100 in the destination. The Gulf of Mexico is located below the southeastern portion of the United States. More than 400 species of shellfish are found in the Gulf region. The strange geology of the floor of the Gulf is mostly caused by thick underlying layers of salt. It has grown to become one of the worlds most important offshore petroleum production sites, and about 17% of the USs oil comes from there. Theres a pocket of seawater in the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans that contains salt content thats 5 times higher than neighboring waters. 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. How deep is the Gulf of Mexico? Its shallow, saltier, and serene waters surrounded by velvety quartz sand may seem like another world when compared to the Atlantic's cool and thrilling waves and golden-brown sand. The Gulf of Mexico is one of the most important offshore petroleum . The Gulf of Mexico is a rich reservoir of natural gas and oil. The oil rig involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was owned and operated by offshore oil-drilling company Transocean and leased by the oil company BP. 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. The Gulf of Mexico contains seven barrier islands located along the Gulfs northwestern part. 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. The shores of the Gulf of Mexico also serve as important habitats for different shorebirds and waterfowls. As per different reports, about 11 people had lost their lives and about 5,000 barrels of oil/day had leaked into the Gulf of Mexico from the 5,486m deep well on the platform. Copyright 2023 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 2. Scientists documented the pair on NOAA's 2018 Okeanos Expedition during a research cruise to the West Florida Escarpment and DeSoto Canyon areas. The defective BOP and the capping stack were removed in early September and replaced by a functioning BOP. In this article, we will look at 10 facts on the Gulf of Mexico you must know. What Went Wrong? The Gulf of Mexico covers roughly 615,000 mi (1.6 million km) and is about 930 miles (1,500 km) wide. Situated in the southwestern part of the Gulf, the Sigsbee Deep (Mexico Basin) is the deepest region in the Gulf of Mexico that has an estimated depth of over 4,384m. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred after a surge of natural gas blasted through a concrete core recently installed to seal an oil well for later use. 30A has raised over $3 million for coastal charities, and has given away 4 million of its famous blue 30A stickers. 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. The deepest point is in the Mexico Basin ( Sigsbee Deep), which is 17,070 feet (5,203 metres) below sea level. depth (ft) Nearby waterbodies (689) The basin is roughly circular in shape and approximately 810 nautical miles (1,500 km) wide. Only about 25 percent of the oil was recovered, leaving more than 154 million gallons of oil at sea. . A study showed that up to 800,000 birds were thought to have died. The coastal population of the five US states on the Gulf of Mexico is projected to increase from 44.2 million in 1995 to about 61.4 million in 2025. Brown pelicans and laughing gulls were among the species most affected. Scientists warn that the "dead zone" wreaking havoc on marine life in the Gulf of Mexico will cover almost 9,000 square miles this summer. Coordinates: 24.487, -89.5363. Following the continental shelf edge westward, Diaphus Bank rises about 48 miles west of the Mississippi Trough. 2. [3] The actual maximum depth is disputed and estimates range between 3,750 and 4,384 metres (12,303 and 14,383 ft). The Gulf of Mexico produces nearly 20% of all U.S. crude oil. There are nearly 2,000 different species! Due to the warm waters, moist air, and strong current of the Gulf Steam when storms originating in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean move west and collide it creates the perfect conditions for hurricanes to form. Because this continental shelf is easily accessible, the Gulf of Mexico is exploited for oil with offshore oil drilling rigs centered in the Bay of Campeche and the western Gulf region. How deep is the Gulf of Mexico at its furthest point from its surface? The Florida Panhandle becomes a magical realm when you put on scuba gear, dive in the ocean, and breathe underwater. Consequently it has access to all the survey data that private companies collect. $3,300,000 USD: 140 feet on the Gulf! What ACT target score should you be aiming for? The Gulf of Mexico is connected to the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatn Channel (between Cuba and Mexico); and with the Atlantic Ocean through the Straits of Florida (between Cuba and US). 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. 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. Gulfs are large bodies of saltwater that can be navigated and are nearly surrounded by land. The Gulf of Mexico is a part of the Atlantic Ocean and is considered an ocean basin and marginal sea. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. The rig was located approximately 50 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana, and had a 126-member crew onboard. 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 . The Gulf of Mexico was the site of a largeoil spillthat occurred on April 22, 2010, when an oil drilling platform, the Deepwater Horizon, suffered an explosion and sank into the Gulf about 50 miles (80 km) from Louisiana. Clear Map How To Use Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 1 Click to place marker 1. They are often connected to the ocean by narrow water passages but that is not always observed in all geographical areas. 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. Currently, there are about 27,000 wells, both oil and gas, that have been drilled and abandoned in the Gulf. As you can clearly see in the image below, this data is much higher resolution than the best available map, which was made in the 1990s. and southward under the influence of eddies typical of the deep Gulf of Mexico (Androulidakis et al., 2018). A study has dated the coral to be at least 2,000 years old. The basin is located in the southwestern quadrant of the Gulf, with its closest point to the U.S. coast at 200 miles (320km) southeast of Brownsville, Texas. There are also several ships sunk in deep water off the mouth of the Mississippi River by German U-boats during World War II, as well as the only German U-boat sunk in the Northern Gulf by Allied forces, the U-166. The distance will be displayed below the map in miles or kilometers. The Gulf of Mexico has been a source of oil since 1938, when the first oil well was drilled there. 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. 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). The dead zones are incapable of supporting aquatic flora and fauna. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. Most areas incurred over 40 inches of rain within a 4-day period, in contrast, Nederland, Texas saw an astonishing 60 inches of rainfall! Your personal data will be governed by Mapsofworld, When Did Alaska Become Part of the United States. Today, there are roughly 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells underneath the Gulf. . The basin has an area of 600,000 square miles (1.5 million sq km) and most of it consists of shallow intertidal areas but there are some very deep portions. 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. This beautiful body of water is what brings people from all over to our destination. Pilots who live in Florida, and especially on the west coast of Florida, have this problem. The US States that border the Gulf of Mexico are famous for their beautiful beaches. Black coral that grows in the Gulf of Mexico is thought to be one of the oldest living organisms on Earth. All rights reserved. They are fragile, ancient, and vital to the marine ecosystem. It comprises a volume of around 2,500 quadrillions (a real number!) Some 1,680 miles of the US coastline and 1,743 miles of the Mexican coastline borders the Gulf of Mexico. How deep are the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico? The floor of the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most geologically interesting stretches of the Earths surface. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. The Gulf formed about 300 million years ago, and in all it encompasses 600,000 square miles. The Gulf of Mexico (Golfo de Mxico in Spanish) is located in the Atlantic Ocean, and the majority of it is bordered by the United States and Mexico. 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. It contains about 2,500 quadrillion liters of saltwater. Transcendentalism was a key movement in 19th-century America, but many people still aren't sure what it was all about. Some portions of the loop current often break away, forming gyres or eddies which further affects the regional current patterns. Scientists just confirmed a 30-foot void first detected inside the monument years ago. Nearly all offshore oil and natural gas leasing and development activity currently occurs in the central and western Gulf of Mexico, where thousands of . Tourism accounts for $100 billion annually and in 2008 the fishing harvest from five Gulf states totaled $661 million. Here's where to find more lumps to fish in the gulf. The deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico is Sigsbee Deep, which has an estimated depth of around 14,383 feet. Researchers recently announced that this year the excess fertilizer from farm fields carried to the Gulf of Mexico helped in the development of a low-oxygen, "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico that covered an area of 6,952 square miles - the 8th largest ever measured! They die when they enter and are preserved by the high salt content, pickled in their tracks! 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. 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. The Gulf of Mexico is a 'sea' and is part of the Atlantic Ocean. Cleanup crews attempted to burn the oil off of the water, gather the oil and move it, and block it from hitting the coast. In addition to being home to so many incredible beaches, it is also a very unique region of the world. The grid defines water depth with 1.4 billion 40-by-40 ft cells and is available in feet and meters. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. 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. Looking at a map you may not realize that the Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Several copepods of the family Zosimeidae were found in deep-sea sediment samples from the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California (Mexico). It is one of the largest bodies of water in the world and it is a part of the Atlantic Ocean. Shannon's experience as a pet parent shapes her writing and empowers her to produce informative and engaging content. 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. 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. Were here to help! A Comprehensive Guide. 10. Natural gas is also extracted. Although it is rare to see sharks in our waters, around 50 species call the Gulf of Mexico home. A few hundred years ago, our beaches were home to pirates who hid in Perdido Pass and Perdido Bay while waiting to raid ships in the Gulf. Red snapper are generally found in waters from 30 to 620 feet deep and are one of the most heavily . The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? The Gulf of Mexico encompasses around 617,800 square miles of water and stretches around 932 miles across from east to west. Since that time thousands of wells have followed. The addition of an ancillary collection system comprising several devices, also tapped into the BOP, increased the collection rate to approximately 25,000 barrels of oil a day. The Gulf has a total area of approximately 1,680,000 square kilometers (650,000 square miles) and a maximum depth of approximately 7,020 meters (23,000 ft). An ocean basin, it is bounded on the northeast, . 5. With the consent of the seven companies, the BOEM released the map to the public. It is rumored that they buried some of their stolen loot on the bay. The committee discussion of the United States nomination Mexico Basin as having the exact coordinates of 23 52 N 91 35 W as the Sigsbee Deep under consideration noted the Mexico Basin is in the GEBCO Gazetteer with coordinates of 22 30 N 95 00 W to 25 00 N 90 00 W.[5][Note 2] The issue appears to be one of the entire basin or a particular point within the basin for application of the names. Old cells hang around as we age, doing damage to the body. The black coral is a notoriously slow grower, growing 2,000 times slower than human fingernails. 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? For its immense natural resources and historical significance, not many are aware of this Gulf and its role in trade and commerce. . MarineMax Panama City Beach | MarineMax Fort Walton Beach | MarineMax Pensacola | Grady-White Boats, Posted by 30A on Wednesday, 2 February 2022. Despite what we know, there is much to be discovered in the depths of the Sigsbee Deep as there has been little exploration since its discovery. These plants provide a safe habitat for numerous fishes, planktons, bivalves, shrimps, manatees, and other marine animals. The narrow subtropical sea is 1,130km (700 miles) long and 80-209km (50-130 miles) wide.
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