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 ascending 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
Tahi Moana 1 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.6900 -176.1800 2256 2008 commercial ROV; 2004 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 17 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.9900 -176.2530 2270 2004 plume only
NWLSC, Central Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.8000 -177.2666 2200 2008 plume and dredge only
CLSC, A3 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.6000 -176.4500 2500 1990 submersible Mir
Temakons active, confirmed back-arc spreading center New Hebrides back-arc -17.5667 169.1000 1400 1994 towed camera with temperature
ABE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.7619 -176.1910 2220 2004 AUV ABE; 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
Solwara 16 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.4380 149.9670 2163 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
Higashi-Ensei active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 28.4393 128.1724 1220 2016 ROV Kaiko dives 723 and 724
Natsushima 84-1 Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5750 127.1417 1600 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000
Bayonnaise Knoll caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Izu-Bonin back-arc 31.9667 139.7333 900 2003 temperature anomalies, but camera survey observed inactive vent deposits
SPOT, Hatoma Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8550 123.8410 1520 1999 submersible Shinkai 2000
Vienna Woods active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.1667 150.2833 2500 1990 TV-grab (also same year, sampled by submersible Mir); 1985 (or 1986) camera tow vent fauna and inactive chimneys
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
central Manus Basin, Bismarck Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.4199 150.1681 2500 NotProvided
C-ELSC, plume 18 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.9500 -176.2390 2230 2004 plume only
Momoko active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.6400 -176.7210 2180 1989 submersible Nautile
Mariana Trough, 14.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 14.4870 144.0940 4120 2015 plume only
CLSC, CL_7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.3667 2250 2009 plume only
White Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.5191 177.1953 30 1989 or earlier, likely SCUBA
Solwara 17 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.0380 147.5280 535 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV
Tu'i Malila active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9876 -176.5678 1870 2005 ROV Jason II; 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
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
Futagoyama active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8674 123.3081 1270 2016 ROV Kaiko dive 717
SPOT, Yonaguni Knoll IV active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8490 122.7000 1385 2000 submersibles Shinkai 2000 and Shinkai 6500
Vienna Woods, Hydrothermal Field 4 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.3712 150.0360 2240 1990 TV-grab
Kueishan Island, offshore active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 122.0000 1200 2008 or earlier

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