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 Settingsort descending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
VFR, plume 3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.4000 -176.6790 1980 2004 plume only
Tahi Moana 2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9200 -176.5330 1870 1989 submersible Nautile (need reference to check if activity confirmed); 2004 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity)
MTJ, PAPATUA active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3850 -174.6430 2170 1986 PAPATUA Expedition deposits only; 2008 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 14 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.3200 -176.3640 2100 2004 plume only
Sonne 99 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9500 173.9167 1980 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab
FRSC, 11a-3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.7950 -174.5230 2000 2008 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 25 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.8900 -176.0640 2680 2004 plume only
Maka active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.4217 -174.2850 1660 2008 commercial ROV; 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples
Deception Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.9500 -60.6500 100 1995 or earlier intertidal
Tripartite Ridge, south of TR1 inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -14.5000 177.0000 3000 NotProvided
Kueishan Island, offshore active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 122.0000 1200 2008 or earlier
FRSC, South Central active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.6667 -174.5167 1820 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples; 2009 camera tow and sampling (activity not confirmed)
Station 58, N160 Axis active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.3167 173.5500 3900 1985 plume only; 1991 temperature anomalies but submersible Shinkai 6500 did not confirm activity
FRSC, Fonualei South active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.5352 -174.5668 1620 2012 ROV Quest 4000
Irabu Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.2300 124.8800 1850 2000 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1986 seafloor photos did not confirm activity
VFR, plume 4 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.3400 -176.6590 1700 2004 plume only
Pika active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9183 143.6483 2990 2003 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2003 plume only
White Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.5191 177.1953 30 1989 or earlier, likely SCUBA
Tahi Moana 7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3300 -174.2500 1940 2004 plume only; 2008 plume only; 2009 video camera tow (activity not confirmed)
Extensional Relay Zone A active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.1667 177.4167 2335 1999 towed camera did not confirm activity
C-ELSC, plume 15 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.2700 -176.3470 2230 2004 plume only
Hook Ridge active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.1940 -57.2745 1080 1997 hot sediment; 1995 plume only; 1999 even hotter sediment
FRSC, T12A-01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.7850 -174.5260 500 2012 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 26 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.8200 -176.0420 2600 2004 plume only
Tripartite Ridge, south of TR3 inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -14.0745 175.4729 3000 NotProvided
VFR, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.5150 -176.6500 1970 2004 plume only
Central Andaman Trough, rift valley, dredges 9 and 10 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.4166 94.1666 3350 1994 deposits only
NWLSC, Southern Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9000 -177.4166 2160 2008 plume only
Tahi Moana 1 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.6900 -176.1800 2256 2008 commercial ROV; 2004 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 17 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.9900 -176.2530 2270 2004 plume only

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