It is enclosed largely by North America. In the paper, Mishonov and his co-authors analyzed the first measurements of bottom nepheloid layers in the central and southern deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico west of the Yucatan peninsula made from Mexican and NOAA research vessels in 2015-2017. This is twice the size of Texas. Shannon's experience as a pet parent shapes her writing and empowers her to produce informative and engaging content. Macondo Blowout and Explosion | CSB The gulfs peculiar history gave rise to a landscape riddled with domes, pockmarks, canyons, faults, and channels all revealed in more detail than ever before by a new 1.4 billion-pixel map. Beach Happy ???????? Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach? Plenty of marine life lives on its borders but its a rare occurring killer lake for sure. 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. There Are Massive Chemical Dumps In The Gulf We Know Almost - HuffPost Expect southerly winds, gentle to moderate for the eastern Gulf, and moderate to occasional fresh at the western Gulf. 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. Later, as the basin became a gulf, the salt was covered with sediment deposited by rivers. Five Ways To Tackle The Gulf Of Mexico's Dead Zone Its considered one of the worst natural disasters in history, and efforts to reverse some of the damage that was caused are still ongoing. Ukraine Russia War Crisis: Everything You Wanted to Know. The exploration companies use 3-D seismic imaging to map areas of the Gulf they are interested in. 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. A well-preserved shipwreck is seen in the Gulf of Mexico. 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. . The climate of the Gulf of Mexico region varies from tropical to subtropical type. There is much speculation as to what caused the explosions. The area of the Gulf of Mexico is about 615,000 square mi (1.6 million square km). The entire coastline felt the effects of Hurricane Katrina: 1,800 lives were lost and damages caused by the storm totaled $125 billion. 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. Every year, millions of birds migrate during fall, and many of them fly over the Gulf of Mexico during their trip. 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 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. All rights reserved. Unfortunately, yes. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. 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. A gulf is an inlet of the ocean into the land. Scientists think the salt probably accumulated around the time when Africa was just starting to separate from the Americas around 200 million years ago. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 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. To the north of the Gulf of Mexico are the US states of Alabama, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Please select which sections you would like to print: Richard Pallardy received a B.A. 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 roughly oval-shaped with a long dimension of about 950 mi (1,500 km). The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. The Gulf of Mexico - National Park Service These plants provide a safe habitat for numerous fishes, planktons, bivalves, shrimps, manatees, and other marine animals. Its a diverse ecosystem with a long and interesting history. 2022 Gulf of Mexico Deep Sea Cruise Season, By the Numbers Gulf Of Mexico | Encyclopedia.com The Brydes whale has recently been declared as an endemic species. Theres a pocket of seawater in the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans that contains salt content thats 5 times higher than neighboring waters. Because salt doesnt compact under the weight of overlying layers like sediment does, it ends up being less dense than the sediment above it. 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). [4] A proposal by the United States renaming Sigsbee Deep, with coordinates of 23 52 N 91 35 W, to "Mexico basin" was rejected by the Sixteenth Meeting of the GEBCO Sub-committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN), the international authority on feature names, in 2003 with the note that it is "an historical name dating back to Sir John Murray." Who owned the rig responsible for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? 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. The BP Deepwater Horizon catastrophe in 2010 spilled 205.8 million gallons of oil and 225,000 tons of methane into the Gulf of Mexico. The grid defines water depth with 1.4 billion 40-by-40 ft cells and is available in feet and meters. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. 5. The narrow subtropical sea is 1,130km (700 miles) long and 80-209km (50-130 miles) wide. of Mexico before you plan a fishing trip. Gulf of Mexico | gulf, North America | Britannica Here are 11 facts about the Gulf. She has taught English and biology in several countries. We have not only provided the answer to the question here but have also explored more interesting facts about the Gulf. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544. Interested in early American history? Every day, 30A shares Beach Happy stories and eco-conscious products with millions of fans worldwide. Hurricanes are common along the Gulf Coast, such as Katrina in 2005, Ike in 2008, Harvey in 2016, and Michael in 2018. Cleanup crews attempted to burn the oil off of the water, gather the oil and move it, and block it from hitting the coast. At least 33 species of whales are found in the Gulf of Mexico. The basin is roughly circular in shape and approximately 810 nautical miles (1,500 km) wide. The deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico is Sigsbee Deep, which has an estimated depth of around 14,383 feet. The bureaus job is to manage exploration and development of the countrys offshore mineral and energy resources. 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 Gulf of Mexico is believed to contain over 660 quadrillion gallons of water. visits the Gulf of Mexico. There are 4,000 drilling platforms there. It has been estimated that these islands were formed about 5,000 - 8,000 years ago. The black coral is a notoriously slow grower, growing 2,000 times slower than human fingernails. . Hydrology These slow-growing, long-living animals thrive in very deep waters300 meters (984 feet) and . Youre probably familiar with the beautiful sandy beaches in Florida or the sprawling coastlines packed with beachgoers in South Padre Island, however, there are countless beautiful beaches along the Gulf of Mexico to be found throughout Mexico, Cuba, and the U.S. With an average temperature between 84F and 88F the Gulf of Mexico is a perfect vacation destination. Geography of the Gulf of Mexico Border States - ThoughtCo Regardless of region, the Gulf of Mexico has a striking diversity of flora and fauna which support fish, sharks, dolphins, and countless other marine life. The Gulf of Mexico features a wide continental shelf, specifically around Florida and the Yucatn Peninsula. Shrimp and oysters are among the largest fish products that come from the Gulf. 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. liters. 8 Types of Fish in the Gulf of Mexico - Take Me Fishing 'Lumping' Across The Gulf Of Mexico For Big Fish - Guide Outdoors 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. 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 western end of the island of Cuba forms a partial barrier to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, where it joins the Caribbean Sea. 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. 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. Check out these interesting facts to learn more about the Gulf of Mexico. A study has dated the coral to be at least 2,000 years old. Cuba, crossed some of the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico over 100 miles offshore, which therefore increases the . 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.