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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wright volcanic center | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -31.8500 | -179.1880 | 1165 | 2005 submersible PISCES V; 2004 plume NZAPLUME III cruise |
| Red Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 20.8033 | -109.3783 | 2000 | 1982 submersible Alvin |
| Capo Miseno, Gulf of Naples | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Italy | 40.7833 | 14.0833 | 20 | 1982 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Minami-Hiyoshi submarine volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 23.4970 | 141.9400 | 80 | 2005 ROV HyperDolphin |
| Aden | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Aden Ridge | 11.9500 | 43.6667 | 1600 | 1984 submersible Cyana |
| Seamount X | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 13.2500 | 144.0200 | 1450 | 1994 or earlier submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| West Mata submarine volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -15.0950 | -173.7500 | 1208 | 2009 ROV Jason II; 2008 eruption plume detected |
| Epi Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | New Hebrides Arc | -16.6870 | 168.4000 | 320 | 2013 ROV Kiel6000; 1974 sediment samples only; 2001 plume and camera tow (did not confirm activity) |
| PACMANUS field | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.7250 | 151.6700 | 1800 | 1991 deep-tow camera and video; 1995 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| Nagahama Bay, Iwo-dake Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Ryukyu Arc | 30.7500 | 130.3330 | 26 | 1994 or earlier intertidal; 2008 or earlier SCUBA subtidal |
| Zouyu ridge | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -13.2800 | -14.4100 | 2315 | 2009 towed video |
| Mussel Valley | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -18.8167 | 173.4833 | 2700 | 1989 submersible Nautile; 1987 plume; 1988 towed camera did not confirm activity |
| Matupi Harbour, Rabaul caldera, New Britain Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Bismarck Arc | -4.2700 | 152.2000 | 30 | 1961 or earlier intertidal |
| EPR, 9 50'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.8300 | -104.2900 | 2520 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| Galapagos Mounds | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.4500 | -86.1665 | 2700 | 1977 submersible Alvin |
| Temakons | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | New Hebrides back-arc | -17.5667 | 169.1000 | 1400 | 1994 towed camera with temperature |
| 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 |
| Lilliput | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -9.5500 | -13.1800 | 1500 | 2005 ROV Quest |
| Punta Banda | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Baja California | 31.7500 | -116.7500 | 30 | 1960's commercial abalone divers |
| Nifonea Ridge | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | New Hebrides back-arc | -18.1330 | 169.5170 | 1900 | 2001 towed video; 2013 ROV Kiel 6000 black smokers |
| Daikoku volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.3240 | 144.1940 | 450 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Sumisu Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Izu-Bonin Arc | 31.4667 | 140.0667 | 690 | 1998 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| ESR, E2 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | East Scotia Ridge | -56.0917 | -30.3250 | 2641 | 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis |
| EPR, 18 10'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.1700 | -113.3440 | 2700 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1983 temperature and light attenuation anomalies |
| SPOT, Hatoma Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 24.8550 | 123.8410 | 1520 | 1999 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Manuk Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Banda/Sunda Arc | -5.5300 | 130.2920 | 2 | |
| Magic Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 49.7500 | -130.2667 | 1850 | 1984 submersible Pisces IV |
| Irabu Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 25.2300 | 124.8800 | 1850 | 2000 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1986 seafloor photos did not confirm activity |
| EPR, 23 30'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.5333 | -115.5667 | 2600 | 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin |
| Alarcon Rise, Ja Sit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3765 | -108.5315 | 2304 | 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts |