About 5 million acres of wetlands border the Gulf of Mexico. 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. 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. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. 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. After numerous shipwrecks, the explorers decided to establish settlements in the lands surrounding the Gulf, to minimize the number of shipments from Europe. 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. 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 United States' proposal to rename the 23 52 N 91 35 W point "Mexico basin was rejected while the ACUF Mexico basin with "Sigsbee deep" as an alternate name is given in the NGA database as 25 N 92 W.[4][5], There are other features with BGN approved names in the region in recognition of this pioneer in deep ocean sounding and commander of the first true bathymetric survey of the Gulf of Mexico conducted while commanding USC&GS George S. Blake:[4][6], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}2352N 9135W / 23.867N 91.583W / 23.867; -91.583, The name "Sigsbee Deep" has sometimes been applied to. 4. Can we bring a species back from the brink? Some of the devastating hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico region include Hurricane Katrina (2005), Hurricane Ike (2008), Hurricane Harvey (2016), Hurricane Michael (2018), Hurricane Rita, Galveston Hurricane, etc. The floor of the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most geologically interesting stretches of the Earth's surface. The agricultural activities inland of the Gulf of Mexico coast have led to an increase in nitrogen-rich chemical fertilizers and pesticides and phosphorus-based detergents that are eventually washed away by rains or by rivers into the aquatic ecosystems. 8. The area then filled with seawater, forming the Gulf of Mexico. Not sure where the Gulf of Mexico is? Several copepods of the family Zosimeidae were found in deep-sea sediment samples from the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California (Mexico). At least 33 species of whales are found in the Gulf of Mexico. The defective BOP and the capping stack were removed in early September and replaced by a functioning BOP. They start at the state waterline (nine nautical miles out) and go all the way to the edge of the continental shelf, 100 miles offshore. How deep is the Gulf of Mexico at its furthest point from its surface? Who owned the rig responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? The exceptionally warm sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico feed the powerful Atlantic hurricanes which in turn cause widespread destruction. 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. The lake gets its foreboding name because of how salty the water is and how most things dont survive it. It is surrounded by the Mexican states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. It Holds as Much Power as Beauty The Gulf of Mexico is a rich reservoir of natural gas and oil. Not only does it border five U.S. states Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida but the Gulf of Mexico also borders Cuba and part of Mexico. We have not only provided the answer to the question here but have also explored more interesting facts about the Gulf. 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. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. 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. One hundred miles southeast of Galveston's muddy shoreline, the Gulf of Mexico becomes a dazzling, vibrant blue. There is much speculation as to what caused the explosions. 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 Gulf of Mexico is a part of the Atlantic Ocean and is considered an ocean basin and marginal sea. All rights reserved. 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. At its deepest point the bottom is 2.7 miles underwater, but most of the Gulf is much shallower. The economics of the area as well as the environment thus are sensitive to pollution. Shrimp and oysters are the most common fish products harvested from the Gulf. With time, the Gulf of Mexico became an excellent avenue for trade. Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. 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 'sea' and is part of the Atlantic Ocean. The black coral is a notoriously slow grower, growing 2,000 times slower than human fingernails. Located close to the Continental Shelf, you'll find waters as deep as 600 feet just 10-12 miles from shore. 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. Nearly all offshore oil and natural gas leasing and development activity currently occurs in the central and western Gulf of Mexico, where thousands of . Observe fireboat responding to crews battling the fire during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, See how wire entanglement inside a well bore mitigates the effects of blowout preventer failure in an oil well. 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. coastline, at least 1,200 square miles of the deep ocean floor, and 68,000 square miles of surface water. The surface area of the Gulf of California is about 160,000 km2 (or 62,000 square miles). Shannon's experience as a pet parent shapes her writing and empowers her to produce informative and engaging content. Her family is still awaiting justice. There have been over 750 known shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. They are fragile, ancient, and vital to the marine ecosystem. The exploration companies use 3-D seismic imaging to map areas of the Gulf they are interested in. Recreational fishing is popular, as are water sports and tourism along the coastal regions. The Gulf formed about 300 million years ago, and in all it encompasses 600,000 square miles. 1. 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 area of the Gulf of Mexico is about 615,000 square mi (1.6 million square km). Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? Following the continental shelf edge westward, Diaphus Bank rises about 48 miles west of the Mississippi Trough. 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. About 5 million acres of wetlands border the Gulf of Mexico. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. The strength and wind speed of a hurricane vary from a Category 1, which is 74-95 mph, to Category 5, which has wind speeds over 157 mph. Traveling east from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf Stream is one of the strongest currents in the world. Endangered marine species such as sperm whales and West Indian manatees are found in the gulf along with nearly 50 shark species like tiger and bull sharks. The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world at a width of 810 nautical miles (1,500 km). (April 23, 2010). Some of these beaches are Malaquite Beach (Texas), Crystal Sands Beach (Florida), Biloxi Beach (Mississippi), Grand Isle State Park (Louisiana), East Beach (Texas), Dauphin Island Beach (Alabama), and Orange Beach (Alabama). Warning: THIS DATA IS NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION The Gulfs basin is unusually flat, with a gradient of only about 1 foot per every 8,000 feet. 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. Briney, Amanda. Look forBeach Happy magazine at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Publix, Kroger and other major outlets. Unfortunately, oil spills have caused irreparable damage while overfishing, pollution, and more threaten this critical resource. 600000 surface area (sq mi) 17070 max. They die when they enter and are preserved by the high salt content, pickled in their tracks! n o date, more than $11.6 billion has been paid to Gulf-area T 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). 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. 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. 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. For its immense natural resources and historical significance, not many are aware of this Gulf and its role in trade and commerce. He was a research editor with Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. from 2008 to 2016 and worked on Britannica Blog from 2010 Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. On August 3 BP conducted a static kill, a procedure in which drilling mud was pumped into the well through the BOP. The Gulf Stream originates here, and it is one of the strongest ocean currents in the world. They found the Gulf is home to 2,000 year-old deep-sea black corals, many of which are only a few feet tall. The Gulf of Mexico covers roughly 615,000 mi (1.6 million km) and is about 930 miles (1,500 km) wide. A large oil spill occurred on April 22, 2010, in the Gulf of Mexico, when the Deepwater Horizon an oil drilling platform, suffered an explosion and sank into the Gulf. They connect a sea/ocean to a landmass and often have narrower openings than bays (although this isnt a hard rule). It is largely surrounded by the continent of North America. In geographic terms, the Gulf of Mexico is also an ocean basin. The Gulf of Mexico is somewhat shallow, along the coastal continental shelf areas, and has an average depth of 1,615m. 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. It is estimated that around 10,000 bottlenose dolphins live in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Recreational and commercial fishing, water sports, scuba diving, and tourism also forms a significant part of the economy of the surrounding areas.
Eakes Funeral Home Oxford, Nc Obituaries,
Examples Of Recent Macro Political Risk Events,
Articles H