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 Activitysort descending Tectonic Setting Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
Boomerang Seamount active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -37.7217 77.8250 850 1996 plume and wax core only
Tonga Arc, Volcano 15 active, inferred arc volcano Tonga Arc -23.9000 -176.7800 1400 2003 plume only
Vityaz megamullion active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -5.4000 68.5833 3500 1979 plume and deposits only
EPR, 10 34'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -10.5667 -110.2800 2900 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity)
Reykjanes Ridge, Area B active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Reykjanes Ridge 59.8167 -29.6833 1000 1992 submersible Mir did not find vents
Magic Mountain, 3-km south active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Explorer Ridge 49.7250 -130.2667 1850 2002 AUV ABE plume only
Komba-ridge active, inferred arc volcano Banda/Sunda Arc -7.9800 123.8000 1000 2001 CTD temperature anomaly and dredged sulfides
Split Seamount active, inferred mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.6400 -128.9667 2350 1990 camera tow (need reference to check if activity confirmed)
NELSC, T08C12 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.2179 -174.1788 2000 2008 plume only
NE Anatahan submarine volcano active, inferred arc volcano Mariana Arc 16.3750 145.7250 460 2003 multibeam and sidescan sonar only
S-OH2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 34.0670 -37.4830 3250 2000 or earlier plume only
EPR, 17 53'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.8800 -113.3000 2610 1993 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 22 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.4000 -176.1580 2700 2004 plume only
MAR, south of 15 20'N fracture zone active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 15.0833 -45.0000 3000 1988 plume only; 1992 submersible Nautile did not observe active vents
Tonga Arc, Volcano C active, inferred arc volcano Tonga Arc -20.1800 -175.2000 1050 2004 SS11/2004 cruise did not detect hydrothermal activity
Mata Taha active, inferred arc volcano Lau Basin -15.0416 -173.7833 2160 2010 plume only
Krakatau active, inferred arc volcano Banda/Sunda Arc -6.1020 105.4230 250 2002 CTD/transmissometer and dredge only
Galapagos Rift, 94.4 W active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.5300 -94.3300 2400 2005 plume only
Su Causeway active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -38.1000 48.6000 3000 2014 leg 2 or 3 of the 30th Chinese Cruise
CLSC, northern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.2833 2250 2009 plume only
Gakkel Ridge, Site 3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 84.4333 2.1333 4300 2001 plume only
SWIR, D50B active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -52.4200 12.7480 3913 2000-2001 plume and dredge only
GEISEIR site 26, segment M4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -43.6901 92.8451 2500 2009 plume only
EPR, 21 20'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.3670 -114.2570 2900 1981 plume only; 1987-1988 deposits only
GEISEIR site 15, segment L1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.2230 86.3892 2500 2010 plume only
SEIR-WXC25 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -50.2500 131.9000 3050 2015 plume only
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.4010 144.8700 3829 2015 plume only
SWIR, Plume 6 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -27.7670 65.1330 3200 1997 plume only
GEISEIR site 37, segment O4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -47.7483 98.1756 2800 2009 plume only
C-ELSC, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1070 -176.2920 2300 2004 (assume submersible Shinkai 6500); 2004 plume only on previous cruise

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