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 Settingsort ascending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
C-ELSC, plume 15 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.2700 -176.3470 2230 2004 plume only
Philippine Ridge, West Philippine Basin inactive back-arc spreading center West Philippine Basin 12.0000 131.4170 5800 NotProvided
MTJ, T08C01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9629 -174.7961 2400 2008 plume only
Snail active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9533 143.6200 2880 2003 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only
Tripartite Ridge, south of TR1 inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -14.5000 177.0000 3000 NotProvided
FRSC, 14b, 16.11 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.1150 -174.5680 2250 2008 plume only
MTJ, PAPATUA active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3850 -174.6430 2170 1986 PAPATUA Expedition deposits only; 2008 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 17 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.9900 -176.2530 2270 2004 plume only
Dugong submarine volcano active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.4500 -175.7000 1170 2008 plume only
VFR, plume 4 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.3400 -176.6590 1700 2004 plume only
Woodlark Basin, Segment 5B active, inferred back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.2540 156.1910 3550 1986 plume only; 2000 plume only
Perseverance active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 15.4802 144.5077 3935 2016 ROV SuBastian; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping
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
FRSC, RC 129 and CTD 24 plume sites active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.0250 -174.5017 1750 2004 plume only; 2004 dredging
FRSC, Fonualei South active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.5352 -174.5668 1620 2012 ROV Quest 4000
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)
Sonne 99 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9500 173.9167 1980 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab
Bayonnaise Knoll caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Izu-Bonin back-arc 31.9667 139.7333 900 2003 temperature anomalies, but camera survey observed inactive vent deposits
Tripartite Ridge, south of TR3 inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -14.0745 175.4729 3000 NotProvided
White Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.5191 177.1953 30 1989 or earlier, likely SCUBA
ESR, E2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -56.0917 -30.3250 2641 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
FRSC, 11a-3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.7950 -174.5230 2000 2008 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 25 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.8900 -176.0640 2680 2004 plume only
West Fiji Ridge active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -17.0000 176.0000 3000 1995 deep tow
C-ELSC, plume 18 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.9500 -176.2390 2230 2004 plume only
VFR, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.5150 -176.6500 1970 2004 plume only
Marsili active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Tyrrhenian Back-Arc Basin, Tyrrhenian Sea 39.2600 14.3780 800 2006 ROV Cherokee; 1989 shimmering water but did not confirm activity
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
Station 58, N160 Axis active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.3167 173.5500 3900 1985 plume only; 1991 temperature anomalies but submersible Shinkai 6500 did not confirm activity
FRSC, South Central active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.6667 -174.5167 1820 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples; 2009 camera tow and sampling (activity not confirmed)

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