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 descending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
Central Andaman Trough, rift valley, dredges 9 and 10 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.4166 94.1666 3350 1994 deposits only
Futagoyama active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8674 123.3081 1270 2016 ROV Kaiko dive 717
CLSC, northern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.2833 2250 2009 plume only
MTJ, T08C01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9629 -174.7961 2400 2008 plume only
VFR, plume 4 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.3400 -176.6590 1700 2004 plume only
Solwara 13 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7320 151.7465 2000 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 1993 plume only
Mariana Trough, 15.5 N active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 15.4080 144.5090 4196 2015 plume only, 2016 ROV did not confirm
Peggy Ridge active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.9233 -176.8250 1900 1975 or earlier rock samples only; inactive in systematic survey on Arculus cruise SS07/2008
West Fiji Ridge active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -17.0000 176.0000 3000 1995 deep tow
NWLSC, Southern Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9000 -177.4166 2160 2008 plume only
Minami-Ensei Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 28.3917 127.6417 740 1988 deep tow TV surveys followed by submersible Shinkai 2000; 1986 dredged Calyptogena shells
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
C-ELSC, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1070 -176.2920 2300 2004 (assume submersible Shinkai 6500); 2004 plume only on previous cruise
DESMOS Cauldron active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6958 151.8717 2000 1990 deep-sea monitoring system (DESMOS) video and still cameras
Tripartite Ridge, south of TR3 inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -14.0745 175.4729 3000 NotProvided
Tarama Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.0916 124.5416 1990 2009 ROV HyperDolphin
Central Andaman Trough, seamount crater, dredge 6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.0000 94.0000 1640 1994 deposits only
Kueishan Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 121.9500 30 1999, likely by SCUBA
Okinawa Trough, Site ES1 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 30.3303 129.0827 521 1992 dredge only
CLSC, plumes on CL1 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.8667 -176.3833 2250 2009 plume only
FRSC, Fonualei South active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.5352 -174.5668 1620 2012 ROV Quest 4000
VFR, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.5150 -176.6500 1970 2004 plume only
Solwara 16 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.4380 149.9670 2163 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.4010 144.8700 3829 2015 plume only
Pere Lachaise inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9667 173.9333 2000 1989 submersible Nautile did not find activity; 1991 submersible Shinkai 6500 did not find activity
SPOT, Hatoma Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8550 123.8410 1520 1999 submersible Shinkai 2000
Irabu Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.2300 124.8800 1850 2000 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1986 seafloor photos did not confirm activity
Three Sisters, Middle Sister active, inferred back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.6420 -58.9833 1040 1995 plume only; 1999 still had no visual confirmation
N-ELSC, plume 25 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.8900 -176.0640 2680 2004 plume only
94SO2 active, inferred back-arc spreading center New Hebrides back-arc -19.4000 169.9000 980 1994 towed camera with temperature did not confirm activity

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