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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 82.8833 | -6.2500 | 4100 | 2001 shimmering water in camera tow and sulfide chimney in dredge |
| EPR, 8 38'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 8.6333 | -104.2000 | 2550 | 2003 submersible Alvin; 1989 dredge only; 2002 plume only |
| Galapagos Rift, 85 50'W | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7500 | -85.8333 | 2600 | 1988 or earlier submersible observations |
| W Los Huellos Caldera | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.0000 | -90.6000 | 1600 | 2005 plume only |
| Tempus Fugit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7683 | -85.9100 | 2560 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
| South Cleft | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.6667 | -130.3667 | 2250 | 1981 deep-tow photographs; 1984 submersible Alvin |
| Pito Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.3275 | -111.6402 | 2270 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| Consag Basin | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 30.6333 | -113.9083 | 140 | 2007 echosounder and grab samples |
| Knipovich Ridge, 76 48'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 76.7833 | 8.0000 | 3500 | 1996 temperature anomaly and towed video did not confirm activity |
| EPR, 17 44'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7330 | -113.2660 | 2622 | 1998 submersible Alvin; 1993 plume only; not explored by Nautile in 1993 or Shinkai 6500 in 1994 |
| EPR, 5 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -5.0000 | -106.4000 | 2650 | 1980's camera tows; 1993 and 1998 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| Solitaire Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -19.5450 | 65.8500 | 2630 | 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only |
| Lost City | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 30.1250 | -42.1183 | 800 | 2000 towed video ARGO-II and submersible Alvin |
| SEIR-WXC15 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.2500 | 135.3000 | 3000 | 2015 plume only |
| EPR, Ridge 1, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.8333 | -114.1667 | 3000 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| Gorda Ridge, EP96B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.5500 | -126.8333 | 3400 | 1984 deposits only; 1996 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 9, segment K3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.9633 | 82.0600 | 2700 | 2010 plume only |
| Rapa Nui | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.5620 | -114.3000 | 2845 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1987-1988 deposits only |
| AMAR | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 36.3833 | -33.6500 | 2600 | 1992 plume only; 1994 plume only |
| MAR, 24 30'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 24.5000 | -46.1533 | 3900 | 1987 deposits only |
| EPR, 11 42'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.7000 | -103.8500 | 2580 | 1984 Angus camera (or 1985 Argo video) tow with temperature |
| EPR, 20 06'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.1000 | -113.7080 | 3000 | 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana |
| Chile Triple Junction, 10 km north | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Chile Rise | -46.2000 | -75.8333 | 3000 | 2010 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 28, segment M6 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -44.7237 | 94.6039 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| North FAMOUS | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 36.9670 | -32.9670 | 2500 | 1994 plume only |
| Mohns Ridge, 72.8 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 72.8060 | 4.1650 | 2300 | 2013 plume only |
| Feather Duster | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 10.9267 | -103.6767 | 2520 | 1984 towed camera and submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 21 N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 20.8333 | -109.0833 | 2600 | 1979 submersible Alvin; 1978 submersible Cyana discovered mineral deposits only |
| Vityaz megamullion | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -5.4000 | 68.5833 | 3500 | 1979 plume and deposits only |
| Europa | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.3500 | -81.8500 | 2400 | 2009 plume only, not observed on dive with hybrid ROV Nereus |