The floor of the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most geologically interesting stretches of the Earth's surface. Not sure where the Gulf of Mexico is? The 30A Company | 30A, Beach Happy and Life Shines are Registered Trademarks, By: Shannon Serpette | Posted Dec 17, 2021, The Five Beachiest Birds to Look for in the Sand and Skies, As a beach lover its likely you know that birds, much like other beach features, are never the same at every beach. These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? Claims by several research groups that subsurface plumes of dispersed hydrocarbons had been detected in May were initially dismissed by BP and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Looking for more fun facts? Here are 11 facts about the Gulf. At least 49 different species of sharks have been known to hang out in the gulf waters. We've gathered 113 of the most amazing facts you can use to impress anyone you meet. The Brydes whale has recently been declared as an endemic species. [3] The Sigsbee Abyssal Plain is the deepest and flattest sector of the deep basin.[1]. 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. There are over a thousand types of fish in the Gulf of Mexico, including pelagic species, reef species. They are often connected to the ocean by narrow water passages but that is not always observed in all geographical areas. What is wind chill, and how does it affect your body? Both are partially detailed in a lengthy 1975 National Academy of Sciences report on ocean contaminants. Fishing is productive in the Gulf because of the connection with tidal streams and local estuaries. This entailed pumping cement through a channelknown as a relief wellthat paralleled and eventually intersected the original well. There are 7 barrier islands along the northwest portion of the Gulf of Mexico, one of which, South Padre. Omissions? 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 . Only about 25 percent of the oil was recovered, leaving more than 154 million gallons of oil at sea. These slow-growing, long-living animals thrive in very deep waters300 meters (984 feet) and . In the Sarasota area the Gulf is best known for beautiful white-sand beaches and exciting offshore fishing. ABOARD THE WESTERN NEPTUNE, Gulf of Mexico Every 17 seconds, a small armada of ships trawling 130 miles from the Louisiana coast fire powerful air guns toward the bottom of the sea in a. Many died from ingesting oil or because it interfered with their ability to regulate their body temperatures. Nearly all offshore oil and natural gas leasing and development activity currently occurs in the central and western Gulf of Mexico, where thousands of . The deepest point is in the Mexico Basin (Sigsbee Deep), which is 17,070 feet (5,203 metres) below sea level. In the fall of 2021, nine new . Fisheries are also extremely productive in the Gulf of Mexico, and many Gulf Coast states have economies centered on fishing in the area. The seawater from the Caribbean Sea that enters the Gulf of Mexico via the Yucatn Channel, quickly circulates in a clockwise loop current before exiting the Gulf through the Florida Straits, eventually forming the Gulf Stream. The defective BOP and the capping stack were removed in early September and replaced by a functioning BOP. So, while the average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is not incredibly deep, there are some areas that are quite deep. The rig's sinking on April 22 began the discharge of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. 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 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. The small juvenile turtles also depend on the sargassum habitats in the open ocean for their survival. Monster Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Snapper, Cobia, and . All rights reserved. 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. 5. Recreation and the tourism sector are important industries in the regions that surround the Gulf of Mexico. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. The Gulf of Mexico supports different species of flora and fauna and is widely recognized for its diversity and productivity. Go the Distance. The entire coastline felt the effects of Hurricane Katrina: 1,800 lives were lost and damages caused by the storm totaled $125 billion. A Deep Dive into the United States First Underwater Museum, This article appears in the inaugural issue of 30AsBeach HappyMagazine. A National Geographic team has made the first ascent of the remote Mount Michael, looking for a lava lake in the volcanos crater. To its north, northeast, and northwest, the Gulf of Mexico is bordered by the Gulf Coast of the United States (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida). See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Deep below the surface, salt domes protrude from the seafloor and some of the . It later emerged through documents released by Wikileaks that a similar incident had occurred on a BP-owned rig in the Caspian Sea in September 2008. Clear Map How To Use Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 1 Click to place marker 1. The Spanish explorer Tristn de Luna y Arellano landed at Pensacola Bay and established a settlement on August 15, 1559. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! The Sigsbee Deep, 200 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas, is estimated to be between 12,300 to 14,383 feet. Population along the Gulf coast exploded in the 1950s, and the rising number of people living along the Gulf resulted in increased pollution problems. 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. 8. Some of these Gulf of Mexico sharks include bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, and lemon sharks. They said this would protect shipping, and in the event of an emergency, rescue would be nearby. Located close to the Continental Shelf, you'll find waters as deep as 600 feet just 10-12 miles from shore. The black coral is a notoriously slow grower, growing 2,000 times slower than human fingernails. The Gulf is a very accessible body of water. 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. 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. Later, as the basin became a gulf, the salt was covered with sediment deposited by rivers. The wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico cover around 5 million acres (2.02 million hectares). Thus, in 1559, Tristn de Luna y Arellano landed at Pensacola Bay and established a settlement. 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. Unauthorized use is prohibited. 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. 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. An ocean basin is simply any large area covered with seawater and located below sea level. With millions of gallons of oil spilled in the sea, the response effort was large and has lasted for over a decade. The Gulf is about 1, 000 miles wide, as much as 14, 000 feet deep, and receives runoff from vast areas of the continent. The Chicxulub Crater is a large impact crater that is buried underneath the Yucatn Peninsula in Mexico. In early July the LMRP cap was removed for several days so that a more permanent seal could be installed; this capping stack was in place by July 12. 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. 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. The Gulf of Mexico has been a source of oil since 1938, when the first oil well was drilled there. Look forBeach Happy magazine at Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Publix, Kroger and other major outlets. Northern Gulf of Mexico deepwater bathymetry grid created from 3D seismic surveys. 7. The southeast is bordered by the northwest portion of Cuba, which includes the capital, Havana. There are 4,000 drilling platforms there. [2] As described below there is some confusion of names that apply to the basin or a particular point in the basin with both being found in technical and popular literature applying to both basin and the coordinates. Cuba, crossed some of the deepest parts of the Gulf of Mexico over 100 miles offshore, which therefore increases the . 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! To the southeast, it's bounded by the Caribbean Sea and Cuba. ", Robertson, Campbell and Leslie Kaufman. Recreational and commercial fishing, water sports, scuba diving, and tourism also forms a significant part of the economy of the surrounding areas. Sea wall installed to protect Fort Myers Beach condo building just feet from the Gulf of Mexico March 2, 2023 Observing the migrant crisis from the eyes of the U.S. Coast Guard How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. The Gulf of Mexico encompasses around 617,800 square miles of water and stretches around 932 miles across from east to west. 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. Without a doubt, the sugar-white sand beaches on the Alabama and Florida gulf coast are among the most beautiful on the planet. A study showed that up to 800,000 birds were thought to have died. 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. 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). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. These include: Atlantic Spotted dolphin, Striped dolphin, Frasers dolphin, Pantropical spotted dolphin, Clymene dolphin, and Spinner dolphin. Hydrology Beach Happy ???????? The Interior Department's five-year offshore leasing plan is required by law. The oil well over which it was positioned was located on the seabed 4,993 feet (1,522 metres) below the surface and extended approximately 18,000 feet (5,486 metres) into the rock. 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. When the guns fire, they create sound waves that travel down and are reflected back up by the sea floor. Seabirds, fish, and reptiles are abundant, as well as bottlenose dolphins, a large population of sperm whales, and sea turtles. How many miles deep is the Gulf of Mexico? Hurricane Harvey is tied with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest in U.S. history. The First European Settlement Was at Pensacola Bay, Over 60 Million Americans Live Along the Gulf. This involves towing high-powered underwater air guns behind a ship. With the consent of the seven companies, the BOEM released the map to the public. 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. With so much marine life dependent upon the delicate ecosystem the future of the Gulf of Mexico depends on the proper management of resources and conservation of marine life. However, the hurricanes which do reach land can cause catastrophic devastation. Still, there are, 30A's Ultimate Guide to The Florida Panhandle Shipwreck. "By clicking OK or by using this Website, you consent to the use of cookies. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 made land shore as a Category 4 hurricane that caused historic flooding and left Houston and Southeast Texas devastated. The shores of the Gulf of Mexico also serve as important habitats for different shorebirds and waterfowls. The Gulf of Mexico has around 1443 different species of fish in its water. We have not only provided the answer to the question here but have also explored more interesting facts about the Gulf. It is estimated that around 10,000 bottlenose dolphins live in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. At Mow Answers, we do maps and stories for a living. The Gulf of Mexico is the largest gulf in the world, as well as the worlds 9th largest body of water. Now thats deep! Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. With time, the Gulf of Mexico became an excellent avenue for trade. They are known to be one of the smartest creatures in the animal kingdom. Over the next 150 million years the gulf continued to deepen and enlarge with the movements of the earth. The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest ocean basinin the world, covering almost 600,000 square miles. Besides the economic importance of the Gulf of Mexico, there are countless natural treasures to be found. It is a popular fishing destination, and its waters are used for transportation, recreation, and tourism. It is rumored that they buried some of their stolen loot on the bay. But the Gulf is also a habitat for other sea animals including dolphins, whales, sea turtles, and manatees. The Gulf of Mexico covers roughly 615,000 mi (1.6 million km) and is about 930 miles (1,500 km) wide. The Overwater Argument. About 60% of the Gulf is less than 700 feet deep. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 1,600 meters, or 5,200 feet. A second disposal location roughly 125 miles south of Galveston, Texas, is known as Site A, and the Mississippi Canyon area is known as Site B. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Transcendentalism was a key movement in 19th-century America, but many people still aren't sure what it was all about. Ask questions; get answers. Half of the crater is located on land while the other half is under the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to being home to so many incredible beaches, it is also a very unique region of the world. Fishing is productive in the Gulf because of the connection with Sarasota Bay and other local estuaries. On August 3 BP conducted a static kill, a procedure in which drilling mud was pumped into the well through the BOP. It comprises a volume of around 2,500 quadrillions (a real number!) 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. Amanda Briney, M.A., is a professional geographer. Plenty of marine life lives on its borders but its a rare occurring killer lake for sure. The Gulf of Mexico is a large oval-shaped oceanic basin, that is located on the southeastern coast of North America and is bounded by the US states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and Florida to the north, northeast and northwest; by the Mexican states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Yucatan to the south and southwest; and by the island of Cuba to the southeast. Ukraine Russia War Crisis: Everything You Wanted to Know. Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico: - Top spots & species - How to fish (charter fishing, deep sea fishing, shore fishing) - When to come | For beginners and pros . About 4 of the United States largest fishing ports are located in the Gulf of Mexico region. The Sigsbee Deep[Note 1] (Mexico basin in the U. S. Board on Geographic Names Advisory Committee on Undersea Features (ACUF) Gazetteer),[1] is a roughly triangular basin that is the deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico named for Commander Charles Dwight Sigsbee, USN, Assistant U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, commanding officer of the USC&GS George S. Blake which discovered the feature during its mapping of the Gulf of Mexico. Today, the most serious pollution threats to the Gulf of Mexico come from oil drilling and agricultural runoff. Cleanup crews attempted to burn the oil off of the water, gather the oil and move it, and block it from hitting the coast. Although BP attempted to activate the rigs blowout preventer (BOP), a fail-safe mechanism designed to close the channel through which oil was drawn, the device malfunctioned. Please select which sections you would like to print: Richard Pallardy received a B.A. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. The Gulf is about 1,000 miles wide, as much as 14,000 feet deep, and receives runoff from vast areas of the continent. These banks provide critical habitats for many marine animals including commercially valuable fishes, sharks, rays, and sea turtles. How did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affect birds? With the damaged riser shorn from the LMRPthe top segment of the BOPthe cap was lowered into place. 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. 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. 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. First discovered in 1999 by Texas A&M deep-tow data and 3D seismic supplied by WesternGeco LLC, the furrows are expressed for over 200 km along the Sigsbee . A mans world? The Gulf of Mexico is bordered by 1,680 miles of US coastline. With that success, they realized they could map the whole Gulf of Mexico the same way. Thankfully close to 80% of hurricanes formed lose strength and dissipate before reaching land. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina swept over the Gulf of Mexico and storm surges caused 53 levees to be breached which flooded 80% of New Orleans. Cuba is located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. This beautiful body of water is what brings people from all over to our destination. Gulfs are large bodies of saltwater that can be navigated and are nearly surrounded by land. 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 marine flora in the Gulf of Mexico includes seagrasses, mangroves, marine algae, and marsh grasses. The gulf's peculiar history gave rise to a landscape riddled with domes,. 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. Climate change that's warming waters further is also making them larger, as in increased intensity and amount of water. In this article, we will look at 10 facts on the Gulf of Mexico you must know. These hurricanes are either formed or make their way into the Gulf and eventually make landfall in the areas surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. The volume of oil escaping the damaged welloriginally estimated by BP to be about 1,000 barrels per daywas thought by U.S. government officials to have peaked at more than 60,000 barrels per day. Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. . 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. Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 2. The Gulf of Mexico is somewhat shallow, along the coastal continental shelf areas, and has an average depth of 1,615m. Do You Know the Different Regions of the US? The Florida Panhandle becomes a magical realm when you put on scuba gear, dive in the ocean, and breathe underwater. . The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 1,600 meters, or 5,200 feet. Watch These Elk Ramming Cars at Yellowstone,, Rare Footage Shows How Killer Whale Packs, Watch a Lioness Save Her Zookeeper When the Male Lion Attacks Him Point-Blank, Watch These Elk Ramming Cars at Yellowstone, and Showing Their True Size, A Clash of Two Lion Prides Ends When This Monster Shows Up, Watch a Gargantuan Komodo Dragon Effortlessly Swallow a Wild Boar in One Gulp, The Largest Great White Sharks Ever Found Off Florida Waters, See Dominator The Largest Crocodile In The World, And As Big As A Rhino, Watch This Huge Komodo Dragon Flex Its Power and Swallow a Shark Whole, Real Life Jaws Spotted 30ft Great White Shark By Boat, The Gulf of Mexico was a trade route dating back to the. These are not coastal dead zones, like the one that sprawls across the Gulf of Mexico, but great swaths of deep water that can reach thousands of miles offshore. Breathtaking vistas create an inviting back drop for all-season entertaining.. It was used by the early Europeans as an exploration route to explore the Americas. [3] The actual maximum depth is disputed and estimates range between 3,750 and 4,384 metres (12,303 and 14,383ft). Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The Gulf of Mexico itself and the regions surrounding it are highly biodiverse and feature large fishing economies. The Padre Island is the worlds longest barrier island. Geography of the Gulf of Mexico. The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation, 10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, 10 Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast, The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches, The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, 4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night, 10 Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Vacation, 5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation, Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation, Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels, 10 Things to do with Teens in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, 5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach, The Gulf State Park Fishing and Education Pier. The lake gets its foreboding name because of how salty the water is and how most things dont survive it. South of Cocodrie at 28.09 degrees North and 90.71 degrees West, Diaphus Bank covers about 20 square miles. The first oil well was drilled in the Gulf in 1938. "A recent forecast of the size of the 'Dead ZoneR The Gulf of Mexico is an important economic region for all the three countries (Cuba, Mexico, and United States) that border it. The Gulf of Mexico is home to more than 750 known shipwrecks, ranging from modern wrecks all the way back to the 16thcentury. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Oil and gas interests generate about $124 billion, nearly half the sum generated by all industries combined. ". 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. 9. visits the Gulf of Mexico. What caused the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? The Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin located close to the southeastern United States. Roughly 4.9 million barrels worth of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, causing massive damage to marine, wildlife, and fishing habitats. 6. Over 40 species of sharks live in the Gulf of Mexico. These islands are Galveston, Follets, Matagorda, St. Josephs (San Jos), Mustang, Padre, and Brazos. The strange geology of the floor of the Gulf is mostly caused by thick underlying layers of salt. To learn more about the Gulf of Mexico, visit theGulf of Mexico Programfrom the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 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. coastline, at least 1,200 square miles of the deep ocean floor, and 68,000 square miles of surface water. Briney, Amanda. 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. Warning: THIS DATA IS NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION The Deepwater Horizon oil spill began on April 20, 2010, when an explosion damaged the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. NGDC Coastal Relief Model Vol. There have been over 750 known shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. A study has dated the coral to be at least 2,000 years old. 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). Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Gulf of Mexico The graphic above shows the varying depths of the Gulf, which can range to over 12,000 feet deep (the darker the blue the deeper the water). (April 23, 2010). "Sigsbee Deep" applied to the entire deep basin appears on some of the earliest charts of the Gulf of Mexico. Only about 800,000 barrels had been captured. The two reefs the East Flower Garden Bank and the West Flower Garden Bank were designated as a marine sanctuary in 1992. 3. Off the sands in Florida lies a 360-mile stretch of coral Reefs which developed 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. There is much speculation as to what caused the explosions. Long COVID patients turn to unproven treatments, Why evenings can be harder on people with dementia, This disease often goes under-diagnosedunless youre white, This sacred site could be Georgias first national park, See glow-in-the-dark mushrooms in Brazils other rainforest, 9 things to know about Holi, Indias most colorful festival, Anyone can discover a fossil on this beach. Our area is home to the largest fleet of charter fishing boats on the Gulf of Mexico, with over 100 in the destination. The area of the Gulf of Mexico is about 615,000 square mi (1.6 million square km). 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. 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. Interested in early American history? At least 25 species of shark are found in the Gulf of Mexico region. . 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. Shannon's experience as a pet parent shapes her writing and empowers her to produce informative and engaging content. The Gulf of Mexico is the largest gulf in the world, with 600,000 sq miles bordered by 1,680 miles of US coastlines. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. On April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon platform caused the largest oil spill in history. The Gulf Stream, a warm Atlantic current, originates in the Gulf of Mexico and influences the climate of both the east coast of the United States and the west coast of Europe. 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. Please be respectful of copyright. Heres the technology that helped scientists find itand what it may have been used for. Since that time thousands of wells have followed. Human activities in and around the Gulf of Mexico such as agricultural practices, oil spills, and shipwrecks are harming the ecosystem. The Gulf of Mexico, located between Florida and Yucatan peninsulas, is a great place to vacation, live, and work. Some of the important fishes include Albacore tuna, Red snapper, greater amberjack, tarpon, grouper, Atlantic spadefish, king mackerel, Gulf flounder, bluefish, etc. So is the Gulf of Mexico an ocean? Some of the notable species include Blacktip shark, Bonnethead shark, Bull shark, Great hammerhead shark, Lemon shark, Nurse shark, and Sand Tiger Shark. Scientists think the salt probably accumulated around the time when Africa was just starting to separate from the Americas around 200 million years ago. What are the circles in the Gulf of Mexico? Click on a 1 degree by 1 degree square for access to low and high resolution images.