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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tow Cam | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.3169 | -176.1367 | 2700 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
Snake Pit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 23.3683 | -44.9500 | 3500 | 1985 real-time TV and imaging sonar; earlier in 1985 seafloor photographs did not confirm activity |
Espalamaca | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | 38.5500 | -28.6000 | 50 | 2010 or earlier likely SCUBA | |
Luso | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 38.9833 | -29.8833 | 570 | 2018 ROV Luso |
Niuatahi | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.3790 | -174.0196 | 1635 | 2009 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only; 2004 dredging (SS11/2004 cruise); 2005 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity) |
Axial Seamount, CASM | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 45.9892 | -130.0272 | 1580 | 1983 submersible Pisces IV |
Jaco Scar | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Costa Rica fore arc | 9.1175 | -84.8397 | 1790 | 2009 submersible Alvin |
Macauley Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -30.2140 | -178.7210 | 500 | 2002 towed camera TAN0205 cruise |
Niua North | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -15.0667 | -173.5667 | 1375 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000; 2008 plume only |
Mata Fitu | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -14.9166 | -173.7833 | 2750 | 2010 towed camera |
Guaymas Basin, Southern Trough | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 27.0148 | -111.4109 | 2000 | 1982 submersible Alvin; 1980 DeepTow CTD and dredging |
Methana | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea | 37.6150 | 23.3360 | 10 | nearshore: since antiquity; offshore: 1997 SCUBA |
Aegir | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 72.3440 | 1.5550 | 2600 | 2015 ROV Ægir 6000; 2013 plume only; 2015 AUV |
Ruby | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 15.6200 | 145.5700 | 214 | 2006 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only |
Floc | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.3133 | -129.7050 | 2290 | 1993 DEEPTOW and submersible Alvin |
MAR, 4 48'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -4.8058 | -12.3742 | 3050 | 2005 AUV ABE (cruise CD169 ) followed by ROV Quest (cruise M64/1) |
Brothers volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -34.8667 | 179.0667 | 1800 | 1998 towed camera; 1996 dredging only |
Nolan's Nook | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.1500 | -111.9167 | 2330 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only |
Dodo Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -18.3470 | 65.3050 | 2730 | 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only |
Montserrat Offshore Springs | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lesser Antilles Arc | 16.7100 | -62.2300 | 10 | 1996 or earlier (assume SCUBA) |
EPR, 9 17'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.2800 | -104.2166 | 2585 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
Animal Farm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.6080 | -113.4000 | 2675 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
Mata Tolu | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -15.0049 | -173.7936 | 1900 | 2010 towed camera; 2009 plume and dredge only |
Tempus Fugit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7683 | -85.9100 | 2560 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
EPR, 17 44'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7330 | -113.2660 | 2622 | 1998 submersible Alvin; 1993 plume only; not explored by Nautile in 1993 or Shinkai 6500 in 1994 |
Soria Moria | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 71.2593 | -5.8146 | 750 | 2005 ROV BIODEEP-05 cruise |
Solitaire Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -19.5450 | 65.8500 | 2630 | 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only |
Yokosuka | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 25.2638 | 124.3733 | 2190 | 2016 ROV Kaiko; 2014 plume only |
Rainbow | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 36.2300 | -33.9020 | 2320 | 1997 submersible Nautile |
Vulcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 38.4000 | 15.0000 | 8 | 1960's shallow vents |