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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capo Palinuro | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Italy | 40.0167 | 15.2667 | 30 | 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Hinepuia volcanic center | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -26.3900 | -177.2600 | 300 | 2013 HOV Shinkai 6500; 2004 plume and dredging NZAPLUME III expedition |
| EPR, 18 26'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.4333 | -113.3833 | 2650 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1983 seafloor photos, temperature anomalies, and deposits did not confirm activity; 1984 submersible Cyana observed only inactive sites; 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity) |
| Uka Pacha | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7700 | -88.3000 | 2100 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
| Natsushima 84-1 Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.5750 | 127.1417 | 1600 | 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Daikoku volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.3240 | 144.1940 | 450 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Salty Dawg Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9822 | -129.0756 | 2200 | 1995 submersible Alvin, followed by ROV ROPOS |
| Myojin Knoll | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Izu-Bonin Arc | 32.1033 | 139.8683 | 1360 | 1996 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Kueishan Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 24.8333 | 121.9500 | 30 | 1999, likely by SCUBA |
| Guaymas Basin, Northern Trough_2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 27.4110 | -111.3879 | 1800 | 2015 ROV Hybis |
| Starfish Seamount, Tinakula | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | New Hebrides back-arc | -12.2028 | 167.6139 | 1204 | 2011 commercial ROV; 1989 plume only; 1989 towed camera survey did not confirm activity; 2002 plume and dredge only |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| Longqi | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.7838 | 49.6494 | 2785 | 2007 towed video sled followed by AUV ABE; 2005 plume only |
| Banda Api | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Banda/Sunda Arc | -4.5250 | 129.8710 | 3 | 1993 SCUBA |
| Nikko volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 23.0833 | 142.3333 | 600 | 1992 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1979 first observed discolored water above the seamount |
| Vailulu'u Seamount | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | Central Pacific | -14.2167 | -169.0667 | 1000 | 2005 submersible Pisces V; 2000 plume only |
| EPR, 37 40'S Axial Dome | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | -37.6667 | -110.8667 | 2240 | 1997 video survey L'Atalante (do not know if activity confirmed); 1995 TV survey did not confirm activity; 2001 towed video and TV-grab definitely confirmed |
| Rapa Nui | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.5620 | -114.3000 | 2845 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1987-1988 deposits only |
| Higa | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 26.5550 | 126.2233 | 1485 | 2015 ROV Kaiko |
| Piip Submarine Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aleutian Arc, western | 55.4167 | 167.2717 | 500 | 1990 Mir submersible; 1981 R/V "Vulcanolog" cruise; 1987 (or 1986) echo-sounder fluid discharge |
| Tahi Moana 2 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9200 | -176.5330 | 1870 | 1989 submersible Nautile (need reference to check if activity confirmed); 2004 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity) |
| Galapagos Mounds | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.4500 | -86.1665 | 2700 | 1977 submersible Alvin |
| Ashadze-1 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9733 | -44.8633 | 4200 | 2003 TV profiling; 2007 ROV Victor 6000 |
| Sonne 99 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.9500 | 173.9167 | 1980 | 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab |
| EPR, 10 02'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 10.0330 | -104.3300 | 2560 | 1992 submersible Alvin |
| Snake Pit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 23.3683 | -44.9500 | 3500 | 1985 real-time TV and imaging sonar; earlier in 1985 seafloor photographs did not confirm activity |
| Rumble V volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -36.1333 | 178.1833 | 755 | 2001 towed camera; 1999 plume and dredged mussel shells |
| EPR, 17 12'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.2000 | -113.1500 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| El Hierro, Tagoro | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | 27.6200 | -17.9900 | 350 | 2016 submersible JAGO, 2017 ROV Liropus 2000, 2011 water column sampling | |
| Mata Fitu | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -14.9166 | -173.7833 | 2750 | 2010 towed camera |