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
Uka Pacha active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 0.7700 -88.3000 2100 2011 ROV Little Hercules
EPR, 21 20'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.3670 -114.2570 2900 1981 plume only; 1987-1988 deposits only
Area JX active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -22.9666 69.1833 3500 1986 plume only (camera tow did not confirm)
CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -9.9000 66.7500 4000 2010 plume only
Aurora active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 82.8833 -6.2500 4100 2001 shimmering water in camera tow and sulfide chimney in dredge
Don Joao de Castro Bank active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Terceira Rift 38.2300 -26.6300 45 1995 SCUBA
EPR, 3.9 N offset active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 3.9170 -102.2330 2875 1989 or earlier Deep Tow photographs (cruise RIFTS or PAPATUA)
MAR, 22 30'N inactive mid-ocean ridge N MAR 22.5000 -45.0050 2800 NotProvided
Salty Dawg Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9822 -129.0756 2200 1995 submersible Alvin, followed by ROV ROPOS
Guaymas Basin, Northern Trough inactive mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 27.3050 -111.5067 2000 1977 submersible Seacliff (hydrothermal deposits only)
Zouyu ridge active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S MAR -13.2800 -14.4100 2315 2009 towed video
Floc active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.3133 -129.7050 2290 1993 DEEPTOW and submersible Alvin
Ringvent active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 27.5083 -111.6792 1740 2016 submersible Alvin; 2009 towed camera/CTD/bottles
MAR, 11 26'N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 11.4482 -43.7035 3835 2009 plume only
Merian active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -26.0166 -13.8500 2550 2012 R/V Dayang Yihao; 2013 AUV Abyss plume and side-scan data
SEIR-WXC06 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -50.2500 138.5500 2400 2015 plume only
EPR, 9 30'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 9.5167 -104.2414 2580 1989 Argo I towed video
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
EPR, 10 44.6'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 10.7433 -103.6500 2580 1985 Argo video tow with temperature
GEISEIR site 7, segment K3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.8020 81.8380 2540 1996 plume only; 2010 plume only
Prony Bay active, confirmed other -22.3333 166.8333 50 1979 or earlier, likely SCUBA
Vema Fracture Zone active, inferred other N MAR 10.7100 -42.6800 5180 2015 plume only
Ischia Island, Gulf of Naples active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.7306 13.9500 10 1954 or earlier, from the beach
White Point, Palos Verde, California active, confirmed other Coastal California 33.7000 -118.3167 10 1984 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Capo Miseno, Gulf of Naples active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.7833 14.0833 20 1982 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Capo Palinuro active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.0167 15.2667 30 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Dorado Outcrop active, confirmed other 9.0800 -87.0950 3000 2013 ROV Jason Dive J2-751
Punta Banda active, confirmed other Coastal Baja California 31.7500 -116.7500 30 1960's commercial abalone divers
San Felipe active, inferred other Coastal Baja California 31.0000 -114.8000 1 1982 or earlier, likely from shore
Punta Mita, Bahia de Banderas active, confirmed other Coastal Mexico 20.7700 -105.5200 10 1997 photo/video most likely by SCUBA

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