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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mata Fitu | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -14.9166 | -173.7833 | 2750 | 2010 towed camera |
| Montserrat Offshore Springs | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lesser Antilles Arc | 16.7100 | -62.2300 | 10 | 1996 or earlier (assume SCUBA) |
| Irinovskoye | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 13.3327 | -44.9099 | 3000 | 2013 ROV Victor6000; 2007 dredge only; 2009 or 2011 did not confirm |
| Daikoku volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.3240 | 144.1940 | 450 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| FRSC, Fonualei South | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.5352 | -174.5668 | 1620 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000 |
| EPR, 17 34'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.5667 | -113.2333 | 2600 | 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1996 Argo II towed video |
| EPR, 9 40'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.6500 | -104.2600 | 2572 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Marsili | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Tyrrhenian Back-Arc Basin, Tyrrhenian Sea | 39.2600 | 14.3780 | 800 | 2006 ROV Cherokee; 1989 shimmering water but did not confirm activity |
| ABE | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.7619 | -176.1910 | 2220 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| Axial Seamount, International District | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 45.9266 | -129.9795 | 1544 | 1986 submersible Pisces IV |
| Kueishan Island, offshore | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 24.8333 | 122.0000 | 1200 | 2008 or earlier |
| Sea Cliff | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.7550 | -126.7083 | 2800 | 1988 submersible Sea Cliff; 1985 plume only; 1986 dredge and camera tow did not confirm activity |
| Forecast | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 13.4000 | 143.9166 | 1470 | 1992 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| Logatchev-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.7200 | -44.9380 | 2760 | 2007 ROV VICTOR 6000; 1993-1994 TV grab and towed photo system did not confirm activity; 1996-1998 video imaging and sampling did not confirm activity |
| 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 |
| EPR, 2 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.2200 | -102.6550 | 2900 | 2008 towed video and AUV ABE |
| North Cleft, high temperature | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.9800 | -130.2000 | 2300 | 1987 camera/CTD tows discovered low-temperature vents; 1988 submersible Alvin sampled low-temperature vents; 1990 submersible Alvin discovered black smoker |
| Solwara 13 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.7320 | 151.7465 | 2000 | 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 1993 plume only |
| Jaco Scar | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Costa Rica fore arc | 9.1175 | -84.8397 | 1790 | 2009 submersible Alvin |
| Semyenov-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 13.5137 | -44.9630 | 2440 | 2009 TV grab and photo-TV profiling; 2007 deposits only |
| Champagne Hot Springs | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lesser Antilles Arc | 15.2500 | -61.3830 | 5 | 2001 or earlier (assume SCUBA) |
| Middle Valley, Bent Hill Massive Sulfide | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 48.4341 | -128.6812 | 2440 | 1990 HOV Alvin, 1985 deposits only |
| Macauley Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -30.2140 | -178.7210 | 500 | 2002 towed camera TAN0205 cruise |
| White Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Taupo Volcanic Zone | -37.5191 | 177.1953 | 30 | 1989 or earlier, likely SCUBA |
| Pito Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.3275 | -111.6402 | 2270 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| Taketomi Thermal Area | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Ryukyu Arc | 24.3483 | 124.1017 | 23 | 1987 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Whale Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Taupo Volcanic Zone | -37.8600 | 176.9800 | 42 | 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Guaymas Basin, Southern Trough | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 27.0148 | -111.4109 | 2000 | 1982 submersible Alvin; 1980 DeepTow CTD and dredging |
| Mothra Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9233 | -129.1082 | 2270 | 1996 ROV ROPOS; 1986 plume only |
| MAR, 4 48'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -4.8058 | -12.3742 | 3050 | 2005 AUV ABE (cruise CD169 ) followed by ROV Quest (cruise M64/1) |