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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hook Ridge | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Bransfield Strait | -62.1940 | -57.2745 | 1080 | 1997 hot sediment; 1995 plume only; 1999 even hotter sediment |
| EPR, 11 17'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.2833 | -103.7583 | 2560 | 1984 Angus camera (or 1985 Argo video) tow with temperature |
| Vulcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 38.4000 | 15.0000 | 8 | 1960's shallow vents |
| North Knoll, Iheya Ridge | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.7908 | 126.8966 | 1100 | 1995 deep tow survey |
| High-Rise Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9666 | -129.0894 | 2200 | 1988 submersible Alvin |
| Pulau Weh | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Banda/Sunda Arc | 5.8166 | 95.3000 | 8 | 1982 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Misiteli | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.4700 | -176.7030 | 2050 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| Teotihuacan | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 15.7333 | -105.4333 | 2300 | 2010 submersible Nautile; 1997 plume only |
| Palinuro | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 39.5500 | 14.7000 | 1000 | 2006 ROV Cherokee; 1968 manganese crust only; 1984 deposits only; 1993 TV profile did not confirm |
| Natsushima 84-1 Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.5750 | 127.1417 | 1600 | 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| White Church | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9612 | -176.5234 | 1960 | 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey |
| Myojin Knoll | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Izu-Bonin Arc | 32.1033 | 139.8683 | 1360 | 1996 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Maug Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 20.0200 | 145.2200 | 145 | 2003 SCUBA shallow vents; 2004 ROV ROPOS deeper vents; 2003 plume only deeper vents |
| Solwara 17 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.0380 | 147.5280 | 535 | 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV |
| Kulo Lasi | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -14.9200 | -177.2500 | 1478 | 2010 submersible Nautile |
| 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 |
| Sangeang Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Banda/Sunda Arc | -8.1300 | 119.0900 | 2 | 1991 or earlier, from beach |
| Punta Mita, Bahia de Banderas | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Mexico | 20.7700 | -105.5200 | 10 | 1997 photo/video most likely by SCUBA |
| Beebe | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.5466 | -81.7182 | 4957 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
| 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 |
| Deception Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Bransfield Strait | -62.9500 | -60.6500 | 100 | 1995 or earlier intertidal |
| Troll Wall | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 71.2833 | -5.7667 | 550 | 2005 ROV BIODEEP-05 cruise |
| Kraternaya Bight, Ushishir Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kuril Arc | 47.5167 | 152.8000 | 60 | 1985 SCUBA |
| EPR, 18 15'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.2500 | -113.3500 | 2680 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| SPOT, Yonaguni Knoll IV | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 24.8490 | 122.7000 | 1385 | 2000 submersibles Shinkai 2000 and Shinkai 6500 |
| Vienna Woods | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.1667 | 150.2833 | 2500 | 1990 TV-grab (also same year, sampled by submersible Mir); 1985 (or 1986) camera tow vent fauna and inactive chimneys |
| Alarcon Rise, Meyibo | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3553 | -108.5443 | 2295 | 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts |
| Hot Beach, Mendeleev Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kuril Arc | 43.9760 | 145.7360 | 1 | 1990 or earlier, from the beach |
| EPR, 11 18'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -11.3000 | -110.5300 | 2650 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin |
| Vulkanolog | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -30.6870 | -178.4530 | 130 | 1979 and 1998 (need to check references); 2002 plume not detected NZAPLUME II |