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
Nifonea Ridge active, confirmed back-arc spreading center New Hebrides back-arc -18.1330 169.5170 1900 2001 towed video; 2013 ROV Kiel 6000 black smokers
Hafa Adai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.9570 144.8680 3294 2016 ROV Deep Discoverer; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping
central Manus Basin, Bismarck Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.4199 150.1681 2500 NotProvided
ESR, E5 active, inferred back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -57.5000 -30.2000 3000 1999 plume only
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
Snail active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9533 143.6200 2880 2003 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only
Whale Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.8600 176.9800 42 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Lobster active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3330 -176.2830 1500 2008 plume and dredge only
CLSC, CL_7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.3667 2250 2009 plume only
Natsushima 84-1 Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5750 127.1417 1600 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000
Tarama Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.0916 124.5416 1990 2009 ROV HyperDolphin
Hine Hina active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.5300 -176.6970 1900 1989 submersible Nautile
FRSC, 14b, 16.31 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.3110 -174.5550 2380 2008 plume only
Maka active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.4217 -174.2850 1660 2008 commercial ROV; 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples
N-ELSC, plume 22 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.4000 -176.1580 2700 2004 plume only
Central Spreading Ridge, Station 19 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -19.0000 173.5000 3000 1991 submersible Shinkai 6500 did not confirm activity
ESR, E9 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -60.0500 -29.9300 2402 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
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
Kilo Moana active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.0532 -176.1336 2620 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
White Church active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9612 -176.5234 1960 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey
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
CLSC, CL_8 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.0500 -176.3333 2250 2009 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 13 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.4150 -176.3720 2100 2004 plume only
FRSC, 14b, 16.11 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.1150 -174.5680 2250 2008 plume only
Perseverance active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 15.4802 144.5077 3935 2016 ROV SuBastian; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping
Pika active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9183 143.6483 2990 2003 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2003 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 19 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.8700 -176.2170 2230 2004 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
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
White Lady active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9833 173.9167 2000 1988 towed camera and plume; 1989 submersible Nautile

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