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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolbeinsey Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 67.0833 | -18.7167 | 110 | 1988 submersible GEO |
| SEIR-WXC17 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.3000 | 133.8000 | 2780 | 2015 plume only |
| Galapagos Rift, 85 50'W | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7500 | -85.8333 | 2600 | 1988 or earlier submersible observations |
| Gakkel Ridge, 85 E | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 85.6500 | 84.8333 | 3900 | 2001 plume only; 2007 towed video did not confirm activity |
| SWIR, D20 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -53.0200 | 22.1880 | 4170 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| Aden | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Aden Ridge | 11.9500 | 43.6667 | 1600 | 1984 submersible Cyana |
| GEISEIR site 24, segment M3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -43.0369 | 91.0357 | 2400 | 2009 plume only |
| EPR, 20 06'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.1000 | -113.7080 | 3000 | 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana |
| GEISEIR site 13, segment L1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.0125 | 86.0608 | 2800 | 2010 plume only |
| Ashadze-4 | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9700 | -44.8500 | 4530 | 2007 ROV VICTOR 6000 did not find hydrothermal activity |
| Neptune's Beard | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9100 | -44.9000 | 4100 | 1984 plume only; 2000 TV survey did not confirm activity |
| Discovery Deep | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Red Sea | 21.2830 | 38.0500 | 2100 | 1965 "confirmed" hot brine and cored seafloor, but see Table 1 in Miller et al. (1966) for historical measurements |
| EPR, 29.5 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -29.5000 | -111.7200 | 2580 | 1998 plume only |
| Sasquatch Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9969 | -129.0662 | 2200 | 2000 submersible Alvin |
| Tiancheng | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -27.9670 | 63.5500 | 3600 | 2014 HOV Jiaolong; 1997 plume only; 2009 DY115-20 Leg 7 plume and deposits; |
| GEISEIR site 35, segment O3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.6179 | 97.8678 | 2600 | 2009 plume only |
| MAR, 30 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -29.9505 | -13.8545 | 3379 | 2013 plume only |
| Lost City | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 30.1250 | -42.1183 | 800 | 2000 towed video ARGO-II and submersible Alvin |
| Beebe | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.5466 | -81.7182 | 4957 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
| Nolan's Nook | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.1500 | -111.9167 | 2330 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 7 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -7.0000 | -107.5500 | 2600 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab |
| GEISEIR site 1, segment J2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -39.4400 | 78.0920 | 2270 | 1996 plume only |
| EPR, 10 08'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 10.1300 | -104.3300 | 2580 | 1983 towed camera and temperature measurements (no direct observations/sampling of hydrothermal fluid) |
| Reykjanes Ridge, Area A | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 62.4500 | -25.4330 | 500 | NotProvided |
| MAR, 16 46'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 16.7950 | -46.3800 | 3300 | NotProvided |
| MAR, 30.8 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -30.8327 | -13.4690 | 2950 | 2013 plume only |
| Gorda Ridge, EP96B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.5500 | -126.8333 | 3400 | 1984 deposits only; 1996 plume only |
| EPR, 9 40'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.6500 | -104.2600 | 2572 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Kolbeinsey Ridge, 69 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 68.7581 | -16.0000 | 1200 | 1980 or earlier sediments only |
| SEIR-WXC27 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.4000 | 134.3000 | 2760 | 2015 plume only |