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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPR, 20 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.0333 | -113.6843 | 3000 | 1999 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| Medusa | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.1404 | -104.2065 | 2580 | 2007 ROV Jason II; 1991 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 14, segment L1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.0716 | 86.1550 | 2700 | 2010 plume only |
| Atlantis II Deep | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Red Sea | 21.3417 | 38.0750 | 2200 | 1965 "confirmed" hot brine and cored seafloor, but see Table 1 in Miller et al. (1966) for historical measurements |
| Dodo Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -18.3470 | 65.3050 | 2730 | 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only |
| EPR, 29.8 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -29.8000 | -111.7300 | 2580 | 1998 plume only |
| Sea Cliff | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.7550 | -126.7083 | 2800 | 1988 submersible Sea Cliff; 1985 plume only; 1986 dredge and camera tow did not confirm activity |
| Nibelungen | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -8.3000 | -13.5200 | 2900 | 2006 AUV ABE followed by ROV Quest; 2004 plume only |
| Gorda Ridge, GR-15 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.9500 | -126.5500 | 3365 | 1985 plume only |
| EPR, 9 47'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.7750 | -104.2802 | 2560 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Main Endeavour Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9487 | -129.0981 | 2220 | 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only |
| SWIR, Plume 5 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -27.9170 | 64.4500 | 4000 | 1997 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 36, segment O3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.7009 | 98.0631 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Boomerang Seamount | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -37.7217 | 77.8250 | 850 | 1996 plume and wax core only |
| Semyenov-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 13.5137 | -44.9630 | 2440 | 2009 TV grab and photo-TV profiling; 2007 deposits only |
| EPR, 10 34'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -10.5667 | -110.2800 | 2900 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity) |
| Reykjanes Ridge, Area B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 59.8167 | -29.6833 | 1000 | 1992 submersible Mir did not find vents |
| MAR, 22 30'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 22.5000 | -45.0050 | 2800 | NotProvided |
| Floc | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.3133 | -129.7050 | 2290 | 1993 DEEPTOW and submersible Alvin |
| Split Seamount | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.6400 | -128.9667 | 2350 | 1990 camera tow (need reference to check if activity confirmed) |
| EPR, 13 N, SE Seamount | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 12.7000 | -103.8600 | 2500 | 1981 towed camera, dredging, and plume did not confirm activity; 1982 and 1984 submersible Cyana did not confirm activity |
| S-OH2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 34.0670 | -37.4830 | 3250 | 2000 or earlier plume only |
| EPR, 17 53'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.8800 | -113.3000 | 2610 | 1993 plume only |
| MAR, south of 15 20'N fracture zone | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 15.0833 | -45.0000 | 3000 | 1988 plume only; 1992 submersible Nautile did not observe active vents |
| Alarcon Rise, Tzab-ek | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3526 | -108.5597 | 2249 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts |
| EPR, 23 50'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.8233 | -115.4558 | 2650 | 2005 submersible Alvin; 1990 or earlier towed TV camera did not confirm activity |
| High-Rise Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9666 | -129.0894 | 2200 | 1988 submersible Alvin |
| Galapagos Rift, 94.4 W | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.5300 | -94.3300 | 2400 | 2005 plume only |
| Su Causeway | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -38.1000 | 48.6000 | 3000 | 2014 leg 2 or 3 of the 30th Chinese Cruise |
| Gakkel Ridge, Site 3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 84.4333 | 2.1333 | 4300 | 2001 plume only |