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 Activitysort ascending Tectonic Setting Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
GEISEIR site 13, segment L1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.0125 86.0608 2800 2010 plume only
MAR, 30 N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 30.0333 -42.5000 3400 1993 plume only
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
N-ELSC, plume 27 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.7500 -176.0190 2570 2004 plume only; 2009 plume only
CLSC, northern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.2833 2250 2009 plume only
SEIR-WXC07 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -50.2500 138.3000 2420 2015 plume only
Vema Fracture Zone active, inferred other N MAR 10.7100 -42.6800 5180 2015 plume only
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
Leyte active, inferred arc volcano Luzon/Bicol Arc 11.5000 124.7000 2002 or earlier some indications of activity
New World Seamount active, inferred arc volcano Tabar-Feni Arc -2.8333 152.5333 1200 2000 or earlier (cruise FR04/00 implies that they already suspected hydrothermal activity); 1994 seamount discovered
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
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.4010 144.8700 3829 2015 plume only
C-ELSC, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1070 -176.2920 2300 2004 (assume submersible Shinkai 6500); 2004 plume only on previous cruise
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)
Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, 64 S segment active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Pacific-Antarctic Ridge -64.5000 -170.0000 2300 2009 plume only
Carlsberg Ridge, 63 50'E active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Carlsberg Ridge 3.6916 63.8333 3500 2009 plume only; 2012 plume and deposits
EPR, 10 34'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -10.5667 -110.2800 2900 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity)
CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 4, 10.9 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -10.9000 66.7000 3500 2010 plume only
EPR, 16 08'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -16.1300 -113.0000 2640 1993 plume only
Gakkel Ridge, Site 6 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 86.5333 43.0000 3000 2001 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 13 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.4150 -176.3720 2100 2004 plume only
EPR, southern 17 N segment active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N EPR 16.5800 -105.3000 2700 1997 plume only
GEISEIR site 14, segment L1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.0716 86.1550 2700 2010 plume only
Magic Mountain, 3-km south active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Explorer Ridge 49.7250 -130.2667 1850 2002 AUV ABE plume only
Reykjanes Ridge, Area A active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Reykjanes Ridge 62.4500 -25.4330 500 NotProvided

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