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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -8.2500 | 68.2000 | 3600 | 2010 plume only |
| Gakkel Ridge, Site 2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 83.8500 | -2.0000 | 3900 | 2001 plume only |
| EPR, 28.7 S, Segment W4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.7000 | -112.9880 | 2350 | 1998 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 3, segment J4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.7720 | 79.7530 | 2800 | 1996 plume only |
| Axial Seamount, ASHES | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 45.9333 | -130.0140 | 1540 | 1984 submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 8 53'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 8.9000 | -104.2000 | 2580 | 1991 plume only |
| Galapagos Rift, 93.7 W | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.4970 | -93.7700 | 2220 | 2005 plume only |
| Pescadero Basin, Auka | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.9567 | -108.8618 | 3685 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts; 1990 or earlier plume only |
| Logatchev-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.7200 | -44.9380 | 2760 | 2007 ROV VICTOR 6000; 1993-1994 TV grab and towed photo system did not confirm activity; 1996-1998 video imaging and sampling did not confirm activity |
| Animal Farm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.6080 | -113.4000 | 2675 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| MAR, 25 50'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 25.8083 | -44.9833 | 3000 | NotProvided |
| 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) |
| Knipovich Ridge, 77 40'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 77.6300 | 7.5800 | 3000 | 2000 plume only |
| EPR, 17 47'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7900 | -113.3000 | 2600 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 7 25'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -7.4167 | -107.8000 | 2750 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin |
| Squid Forest | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 68.0000 | -17.5000 | 900 | 1999 ROV Aglantha |
| SEIR-WXC12 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.2500 | 136.2500 | 2780 | 2015 plume only |
| Broken Spur | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 29.1700 | -43.1717 | 3100 | 1993 submersible Alvin; earlier in 1993, water column anomalies and towed camera did not confirm activity |
| EPR, Ridge 3, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.3333 | -113.6792 | 3050 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| Gorda Ridge, GR-15 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.9500 | -126.5500 | 3365 | 1985 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 11, segment K4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.5375 | 82.8266 | 2600 | 2010 plume only |
| Red Sea Rift, 18 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Red Sea | 17.9667 | 40.0667 | 1500 | 1980 submersible Pisces XI (deposits only) |
| Mohns Ridge, 72 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 72.0390 | -0.2520 | 2500 | 1987 plume only; 2013 plume only |
| E Eye of Mordor | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9058 | -91.2310 | 1600 | 2005 towed video Medea found inactive chimneys |
| EPR, 20 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.0333 | -113.6843 | 3000 | 1999 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| SWIR, D54 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.4370 | 13.3120 | 4029 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| Nereus Deep | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Red Sea | 23.1670 | 37.2830 | 2400 | 1972 deposits only |
| Chile Triple Junction | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Chile Rise | -46.3000 | -75.8000 | 3000 | 2010 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 29, segment M6 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -44.9054 | 94.9673 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Zouyu ridge | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -13.2800 | -14.4100 | 2315 | 2009 towed video |