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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWIR, D20 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -53.0200 | 22.1880 | 4170 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| S-OH1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 34.5330 | -36.8500 | 3000 | 1996 submersible Nautile did not find active vents; 2000 or earlier plume only |
| Main Endeavour Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9487 | -129.0981 | 2220 | 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only |
| Knipovich Ridge, 75 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 74.8000 | 8.4417 | 3185 | 2000 plume only |
| EPR, 17 42'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7000 | -113.2500 | 2600 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 37 48'S Axial Dome | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | -37.8000 | -110.9167 | 2200 | 2001 towed video and TV-grab |
| 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 |
| MAR, 25 50'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 25.8083 | -44.9833 | 3000 | NotProvided |
| Boomerang Seamount | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -37.7217 | 77.8250 | 850 | 1996 plume and wax core only |
| EPR, northern 17 N segment | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 17.6700 | -105.0050 | 2800 | 1997 plume only |
| 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 |
| GEISEIR site 34, segment O3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.4145 | 97.4373 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Sasquatch Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9969 | -129.0662 | 2200 | 2000 submersible Alvin |
| Middle Valley, Bent Hill Massive Sulfide | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 48.4341 | -128.6812 | 2440 | 1990 HOV Alvin, 1985 deposits only |
| EPR, 11 30'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.4833 | -103.7833 | 2422 | 1981 towed camera and plume did not confirm activity; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1996 (need reference to confirm activity) |
| EPR, 2 S, off-axis | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.0840 | -102.8270 | 3000 | 2008 plume only |
| Alarcon Rise, Ja Sit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3765 | -108.5315 | 2304 | 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts |
| Eyjafjördur | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 65.8500 | -18.1333 | 65 | 1997, likely by SCUBA |
| ET | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 48.1993 | -128.9257 | 2500 | NotProvided |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 5, 12.6 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -12.6000 | 66.1000 | 3800 | 2010 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 1, segment J2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -39.4400 | 78.0920 | 2270 | 1996 plume only |
| Mothra Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9233 | -129.1082 | 2270 | 1996 ROV ROPOS; 1986 plume only |
| EPR, 15 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -15.0000 | -112.7700 | 2640 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only |
| Tiancheng | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -27.9670 | 63.5500 | 3600 | 2014 HOV Jiaolong; 1997 plume only; 2009 DY115-20 Leg 7 plume and deposits; |
| DSDP Hole 504B | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.2267 | -83.7300 | 3500 | NotProvided |
| AAR KR1, Mujin | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -62.1000 | 158.8000 | 2100 | 2011 plume and biological samples |
| GEISEIR site 13, segment L1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.0125 | 86.0608 | 2800 | 2010 plume only |
| EPR 87D1 Seamount | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.5333 | -103.8600 | 2090 | NotProvided |
| Reykjanes Ridge, Area B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 59.8167 | -29.6833 | 1000 | 1992 submersible Mir did not find vents |
| Loki's Castle | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 73.5500 | 8.1500 | 2400 | 2008 ROV Bathysaurus |