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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPR, 29.8 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -29.8000 | -111.7300 | 2580 | 1998 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 |
| 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; |
| Grimsey Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 66.6067 | -17.6542 | 400 | 1997 submersible Jago |
| GEISEIR site 13, segment L1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.0125 | 86.0608 | 2800 | 2010 plume only |
| Magic Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 49.7500 | -130.2667 | 1850 | 1984 submersible Pisces IV |
| 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 |
| MAR, 30 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 30.0333 | -42.5000 | 3400 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 13 N, Marginal High | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 12.7090 | -103.9160 | 2650 | 1984 submersible Cyana; 1981 towed camera, dredging, and plume did not confirm activity |
| Dellwood Seamount | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 50.7470 | -130.8961 | 800 | 1974 or earlier deposits only; 2018 ROV Hercules inactive |
| Kolbeinsey Ridge, 69 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 68.7581 | -16.0000 | 1200 | 1980 or earlier sediments only |
| EPR, 17 56'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.9400 | -113.3170 | 2620 | 1993 plume only |
| SEIR-WXC07 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.2500 | 138.3000 | 2420 | 2015 plume only |
| Brown Bear Seamount | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.0333 | -130.5500 | 1500 | NotProvided |
| EPR, southern 16 N segment | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 15.5000 | -105.4000 | 2300 | 1997 plume only |
| SWIR, D36 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.7490 | 11.7110 | 3981 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| East Blanco Depression | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.2170 | -129.6250 | 3460 | 1994 ROV U.S. Navy's Advanced Tethered Vehicle |
| EPR, 21 25'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.4333 | -114.2917 | 2850 | 1984 submersible Cyana; 1983 deposits only |
| Central Cleft, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.7583 | -130.2750 | 2200 | 2000 ROV Tiburon |
| GEISEIR site 31, segment O1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -46.8956 | 96.5709 | 2600 | 2009 plume only |
| Rainbow Bay | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -14.0300 | -14.3400 | 2900 | 2009 towed video did not confirm activity |
| EPR, 23 50'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.8233 | -115.4558 | 2650 | 2005 submersible Alvin; 1990 or earlier towed TV camera did not confirm activity |
| 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 |
| Middle Valley, Dead Dog Vent Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 48.4560 | -128.7088 | 2450 | 1990 HOV Alvin |
| S Oceanographer | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 34.8670 | -36.4330 | 3460 | 1992 plume only |
| SWIR, Plume 5 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -27.9170 | 64.4500 | 4000 | 1997 plume only |
| Area JX | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -22.9666 | 69.1833 | 3500 | 1986 plume only (camera tow did not confirm) |
| Baby Bare Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.7100 | -127.7870 | 2600 | 1995 submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 9 33'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.5583 | -104.2500 | 2574 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |