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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knipovich Ridge, 77 40'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 77.6300 | 7.5800 | 3000 | 2000 plume only |
| North FAMOUS | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 36.9670 | -32.9670 | 2500 | 1994 plume only |
| Gakkel Ridge, 7.5 E | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 85.0167 | 7.4500 | 3600 | 2001 plume only |
| Steinaholl Vent Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 63.1000 | -24.5333 | 350 | 1990 plume, echosounding, and towed video; 1993 plume only (included echosounding for more precise location) |
| SWIR, 63.9 E | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -27.8510 | 63.9230 | 2759 | 2009 DY115-20 Leg 7 (need reference to confirm activity) |
| GEISEIR site 23, segment M2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.0272 | 89.2205 | 2400 | 2009 plume only |
| EPR, 2 S, off-axis | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.0840 | -102.8270 | 3000 | 2008 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 12, segment K4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.6600 | 83.0366 | 2600 | 2010 plume only |
| Ashadze-3 | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9860 | -44.8610 | 4200 | 2005 plume and dredge only |
| West Valley | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 48.4833 | -129.0417 | 3000 | 1987 and 1988 deposits only (towed camera did not confirm activity) |
| EPR, 28.7 S, Segment W4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.7000 | -112.9880 | 2350 | 1998 plume only |
| Magic Mountain, 3-km south | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 49.7250 | -130.2667 | 1850 | 2002 AUV ABE plume only |
| SWIR, Plume 3, Segment 16 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -30.8500 | 59.3830 | 3900 | 1997 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 34, segment O3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.4145 | 97.4373 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Zenith-Victory | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 20.1292 | -45.6225 | 2390 | 2008 (need citation to confirm that the field was discovered by TV-profiling and dredging) |
| EPR, 7 25'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -7.4167 | -107.8000 | 2750 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin |
| GEISEIR site 2, segment J4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.2520 | 79.1030 | 2800 | 1996 plume and dredge only |
| EPR, 1.4 S, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -1.3690 | -102.4560 | 3000 | 2008 towed video |
| Rehu-Marka | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.4333 | -113.2000 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1984 submersible Cyana - Auzende et al. (1996) says that no active black smokers were discovered but Krasnov et al. (1997) says one black smoker observed |
| MAR, 15 50'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 15.8667 | -46.6667 | 3000 | NotProvided |
| Gorda Ridge, EP96A | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.6790 | -126.7820 | 3150 | 1996 camera/temperature tow followed by ROV did not confirm hydrothermal activity |
| Area JX | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -22.9666 | 69.1833 | 3500 | 1986 plume only (camera tow did not confirm) |
| EPR, 9 33'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.5583 | -104.2500 | 2574 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Mohns Ridge, 72.8 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 72.8060 | 4.1650 | 2300 | 2013 plume only |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 5, 12.6 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -12.6000 | 66.1000 | 3800 | 2010 plume only |
| Eyjafjördur | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 65.8500 | -18.1333 | 65 | 1997, likely by SCUBA |
| South Cleft | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.6667 | -130.3667 | 2250 | 1981 deep-tow photographs; 1984 submersible Alvin |
| Pegasus | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7500 | -88.2000 | 2000 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
| Iguanas-Pinguinos | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.1000 | -91.9350 | 1640 | 2005 towed video Medea |
| EPR, 13 N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 12.8333 | -103.9500 | 2630 | 1982 submersible Cyana; 1981 towed camera, dredging, and plume did not confirm activity |