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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 49.7500 | -130.2667 | 1850 | 1984 submersible Pisces IV |
| Bai Causeway | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.9000 | 48.8000 | 3000 | 2014 leg 2 or 3 of the 30th Chinese Cruise |
| GEISEIR site 33, segment O2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.2383 | 97.1566 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Ribeira Quente | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Terceira Rift | 37.7250 | -25.3160 | 10 | 1986 or earlier, likely from shore or by SCUBA |
| 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, 5 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -5.0000 | -106.4000 | 2650 | 1980's camera tows; 1993 and 1998 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| GEISEIR site 3, segment J4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.7720 | 79.7530 | 2800 | 1996 plume only |
| EPR, 1 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -0.8000 | -102.4600 | 2800 | 2005 plume only |
| Red Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 20.8033 | -109.3783 | 2000 | 1982 submersible Alvin |
| MAR, 17 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -17.2522 | -14.2270 | 3280 | 2013 plume only |
| Pito Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.3275 | -111.6402 | 2270 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| Gorda Ridge, 41 30'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 41.5167 | -127.4500 | 3350 | 1984 deposits only |
| EPR, 9 30'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.5167 | -104.2414 | 2580 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| Menez Hom | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.1500 | -32.4333 | 1802 | 2002 ROV Victor 6000 |
| SWIR, Plume 2, Segment 16 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -31.0670 | 58.9670 | 4200 | 1997 plume only |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 5, 12.25 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -12.2500 | 65.7000 | 4000 | 2010 plume only |
| Logatchev-5 | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.7500 | -44.9700 | 3100 | 2007 ROV VICTOR 6000 did not find hydrothermal activity |
| Eye of Mordor Seamount | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9410 | -91.3100 | 1555 | 2005 plume only |
| Source | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.1550 | -129.8100 | 2055 | 1993 submersible Alvin |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 6, 14.75 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -14.7500 | 66.5000 | 3400 | 2010 plume only |
| EPR, 11 45'N, OSC | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.7775 | -103.8300 | 2580 | 1984 Angus camera (or 1985 Argo video) tow with temperature; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #2004 (need reference to confirm activity) |
| S AMAR 2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 35.9670 | -34.1830 | 2240 | 1992 plume only; 1994 plume only |
| EPR, 17 42'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7000 | -113.2500 | 2600 | 1993 plume only |
| MAR, 43 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 43.0000 | -29.0000 | 3400 | 1986 or earlier plume only |
| Alarcon Rise/Pescadero intersection | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.6423 | -108.3948 | 2384 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts did not confirm activity |
| EPR, 21 N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 20.8333 | -109.0833 | 2600 | 1979 submersible Alvin; 1978 submersible Cyana discovered mineral deposits only |
| EPR, southern 16 N segment | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 15.5000 | -105.4000 | 2300 | 1997 plume only |
| Precious Stone Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.2200 | -101.4900 | 1700 | 2009 deep-tow video and TV grab |
| Knipovich Ridge, 77 40'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 77.6300 | 7.5800 | 3000 | 2000 plume only |
| Vityaz megamullion | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -5.4000 | 68.5833 | 3500 | 1979 plume and deposits only |