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
Secca del Capo active, inferred arc volcano Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea 38.6333 14.8500 240 1995 ROV Comex deposits only; 2007 plume only
Philippine Ridge, West Philippine Basin inactive back-arc spreading center West Philippine Basin 12.0000 131.4170 5800 NotProvided
western Manus Basin, Bismarck Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.0000 147.0000 1800 NotProvided
CLSC, southern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.5000 -176.3833 2250 2009 plume only
central Manus Basin, Bismarck Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.4199 150.1681 2500 NotProvided
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
Tahi Moana 2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9200 -176.5330 1870 1989 submersible Nautile (need reference to check if activity confirmed); 2004 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity)
N-ELSC, plume 28 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.6500 -175.9890 2550 2004 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 13 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.4150 -176.3720 2100 2004 plume only
MTJ, T08C05 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.5134 -174.7407 2100 2008 plume only
CLSC, CL_7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.3667 2250 2009 plume only
Solwara 11 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.1667 147.1917 1500 2008 commercial ROV; 2000 submersible Nautile did not confirm activity
Vai Lili active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2151 -176.6083 1764 1989 submersible Nautile
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
Yokosuka active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.2638 124.3733 2190 2016 ROV Kaiko; 2014 plume only
MTJ, T08C03 and T08C04 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.6100 -174.8200 2300 2008 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
Franklin Seamount active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.9083 151.8300 2366 1990 submersible Mir
MTJ, V12A-04 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9540 -174.7110 1330 2012 plume only
Tahi Moana 7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3300 -174.2500 1940 2004 plume only; 2008 plume only; 2009 video camera tow (activity not confirmed)
N-ELSC, plume 29 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.6000 -175.9750 2700 2004 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 14 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.3200 -176.3640 2100 2004 plume only
CLSC, CL_8 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.0500 -176.3333 2250 2009 plume only
Mussel Valley active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -18.8167 173.4833 2700 1989 submersible Nautile; 1987 plume; 1988 towed camera did not confirm activity
ELSC3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1667 -176.3333 2140 2009 plume only
Solwara 12 inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7086 151.8834 1920 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 inactive
Kulo Lasi active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -14.9200 -177.2500 1478 2010 submersible Nautile
Pika active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9183 143.6483 2990 2003 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2003 plume only
White Church active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9612 -176.5234 1960 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey

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