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
ESR, E5 active, inferred back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -57.5000 -30.2000 3000 1999 plume only
SPOT, Yonaguni Knoll IV active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8490 122.7000 1385 2000 submersibles Shinkai 2000 and Shinkai 6500
NWLSC, Central Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.8000 -177.2666 2200 2008 plume and dredge only
West Fiji Ridge active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -17.0000 176.0000 3000 1995 deep tow
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
Yokosuka active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.2638 124.3733 2190 2016 ROV Kaiko; 2014 plume only
MTJ, T08C03, 15.72 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.7186 -174.8338 2400 2008 plume only
Solwara 18 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.0760 147.2390 1308 2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV; 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
Tarama Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.0916 124.5416 1990 2009 ROV HyperDolphin
MTJ, V12A-04 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9540 -174.7110 1330 2012 plume only
SuSu Knolls active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.8000 152.1000 1520 1996 towed camera/video; 1993 plume only
Kueishan Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 121.9500 30 1999, likely by SCUBA
ESR, E9 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -60.0500 -29.9300 2402 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
Momoko active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.6400 -176.7210 2180 1989 submersible Nautile
Si'iSi'i active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2900 -176.6290 1950 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Three Sisters, Middle Sister active, inferred back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.6420 -58.9833 1040 1995 plume only; 1999 still had no visual confirmation
Higashi-Ensei active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 28.4393 128.1724 1220 2016 ROV Kaiko dives 723 and 724
MTJ, T08C01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9629 -174.7961 2400 2008 plume only
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
Solwara 19 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6660 148.7640 1039 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
Mariana Trough, 14.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 14.4870 144.0940 4120 2015 plume only
DESMOS Cauldron active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6958 151.8717 2000 1990 deep-sea monitoring system (DESMOS) video and still cameras
Kueishan Island, offshore active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 122.0000 1200 2008 or earlier
VFR, ELSC7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.8833 -176.7500 2050 2009 plume and dredge only
Alice Springs Field active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.2103 144.7073 3640 1987 submersible Alvin; 1982 plume only
Tahi Moana 1 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.6900 -176.1800 2256 2008 commercial ROV; 2004 plume only
Sakai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5481 126.9895 1600 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000; 1987 plume only
Snail active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9533 143.6200 2880 2003 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only
CLSC, A3 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.6000 -176.4500 2500 1990 submersible Mir
Parece Vela Ridge, Philippine Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Parece Vela Basin 16.0000 139.1667 5000 NotProvided

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