Vent Fields
Welcome to the InterRidge Global Database of Active Submarine Hydrothermal Vent Fields (the “InterRidge Vents Database”).
To sort the list of Vent Fields, click on a column header.
To view details for a specific Vent Field, click on the Name ID.
To view the subset of Vent Fields that contain a specific category, click on the category (for example, "active, confirmed" in the "Activity" column).
| Vent Field Name ID | Activity |
Tectonic Setting |
Region | Latitude | Longitude | Maximum or Single Reported Depth | Year and How Discovered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPR/Tamayo intersection | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 22.9333 | -108.0667 | 3200 | 1979 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| Guaymas Basin, Northern Trough | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 27.3050 | -111.5067 | 2000 | 1977 submersible Seacliff (hydrothermal deposits only) |
| Main Endeavour Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9487 | -129.0981 | 2220 | 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only |
| Reykjanes Ridge, Area B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 59.8167 | -29.6833 | 1000 | 1992 submersible Mir did not find vents |
| MAR, 33 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -32.9676 | -14.4517 | 2600 | 2013 plume only |
| MAR, 43 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 43.0000 | -29.0000 | 3400 | 1986 or earlier plume only |
| EPR, 14 18'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -14.3000 | -112.6670 | 2630 | 1993 plume only |
| Squid Forest | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 68.0000 | -17.5000 | 900 | 1999 ROV Aglantha |
| Discovery Deep | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Red Sea | 21.2830 | 38.0500 | 2100 | 1965 "confirmed" hot brine and cored seafloor, but see Table 1 in Miller et al. (1966) for historical measurements |
| EPR, 18 10'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.1700 | -113.3440 | 2700 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1983 temperature and light attenuation anomalies |
| GEISEIR site 21, segment L3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.0050 | 87.8808 | 2400 | 2010 plume only |
| Iguanas-Pinguinos | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.1000 | -91.9350 | 1640 | 2005 towed video Medea |
| S-OH2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 34.0670 | -37.4830 | 3250 | 2000 or earlier plume only |
| Alarcon Rise, Ja Sit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3765 | -108.5315 | 2304 | 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts |
| SWIR, D54 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.4370 | 13.3120 | 4029 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| MAR, segment south of St. Paul system | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 0.5000 | -25.0000 | 3500 | 2013 plume only |
| EPR, 21 54'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.9000 | -114.5000 | 2800 | 1987-1988 deposits only [need to check Fouquet et al. (1993) for confirmation] |
| Nibelungen | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -8.3000 | -13.5200 | 2900 | 2006 AUV ABE followed by ROV Quest; 2004 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 33, segment O2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.2383 | 97.1566 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Bubbylon | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.8000 | -31.5333 | 1000 | 2010 ROV MARUM-QUEST, same cruise as plume discovered by multibeam echosounder |
| EPR, 26.5 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -26.4833 | -112.6250 | 2064 | 1993 submersible Nautile (or earlier) |
| Moytirra | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 45.4833 | -27.8500 | 2900 | 2011 ROV Holland 1; 2008 plume only MAPRs, ROV Isis buoyant plume, but no visual confirmation |
| GEISEIR site 13, segment L1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.0125 | 86.0608 | 2800 | 2010 plume only |
| EPR, 9 47'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.7750 | -104.2802 | 2560 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Loki's Castle | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 73.5500 | 8.1500 | 2400 | 2008 ROV Bathysaurus |
| Aden | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Aden Ridge | 11.9500 | 43.6667 | 1600 | 1984 submersible Cyana |
| MAR, 15 50'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 15.8667 | -46.6667 | 3000 | NotProvided |
| EPR, 11 07'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.1330 | -103.7800 | 2580 | 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1989 (need reference to confirm activity); 1991 plume only |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 5, 12.25 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -12.2500 | 65.7000 | 4000 | 2010 plume only |
| EPR, 16 35'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.5830 | -113.0600 | 2650 | 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |