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 Activitysort ascending Tectonic Setting Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
White Lady active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9833 173.9167 2000 1988 towed camera and plume; 1989 submersible Nautile
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)
Solitaire Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge CIR -19.5450 65.8500 2630 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only
Mothra Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9233 -129.1082 2270 1996 ROV ROPOS; 1986 plume only
Kolumbo active, confirmed arc volcano Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea 36.5250 25.4833 500 2006 ROV Hercules
Sonne 99 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9500 173.9167 1980 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab
Mariana Trough, Central Trough active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.0467 144.7533 3676 1987 submersible Alvin
Rumble V volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Kermadec Arc -36.1333 178.1833 755 2001 towed camera; 1999 plume and dredged mussel shells
Ischia Island, Gulf of Naples active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.7306 13.9500 10 1954 or earlier, from the beach
Tonga Arc, Volcano 18 active, confirmed arc volcano Tonga Arc -24.5850 -176.9170 1465 2011 ROV MAGNUM; 2003 plume and dredge only
Espalamaca active, confirmed intra-plate volcano 38.5500 -28.6000 50 2010 or earlier likely SCUBA
Alice Springs Field active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.2103 144.7073 3640 1987 submersible Alvin; 1982 plume only
Tafu active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3833 -174.2500 1400 2008 or 2009 commercial ROV; 2008 plume only; 2009 ROV Jason II
NE Pual active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6754 151.7272 1875 2006 ROV Jason II
Axial Seamount, CASM active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 45.9892 -130.0272 1580 1983 submersible Pisces IV
Doyo Seamount active, confirmed arc volcano Izu-Bonin Arc 27.6833 140.8167 520 1990 submersible Shinkai 2000
Middle Valley, Dead Dog Vent Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 48.4560 -128.7088 2450 1990 HOV Alvin
Forecast active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 13.4000 143.9166 1470 1992 submersible Shinkai 6500
Ribeira Quente active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Terceira Rift 37.7250 -25.3160 10 1986 or earlier, likely from shore or by SCUBA
Hafa Adai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.9570 144.8680 3294 2016 ROV Deep Discoverer; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping
EPR, 9 40'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 9.6500 -104.2600 2572 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin
Calypso Vents active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.6800 177.1170 200 1989 submersible Soucoup
Brothers volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Kermadec Arc -34.8667 179.0667 1800 1998 towed camera; 1996 dredging only
EPR, 11 17'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 11.2833 -103.7583 2560 1984 Angus camera (or 1985 Argo video) tow with temperature
Giggenbach volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Kermadec Arc -30.0333 -178.7167 180 2005 submersible PISCES V; 2002 plume only
Niua South active, confirmed arc volcano Tonga Arc -15.1650 -173.5700 1180 2008 commercial ROV
North Cleft, high temperature active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 44.9800 -130.2000 2300 1987 camera/CTD tows discovered low-temperature vents; 1988 submersible Alvin sampled low-temperature vents; 1990 submersible Alvin discovered black smoker
Kagoshima Bay active, confirmed arc volcano Ryukyu Arc 31.6583 130.8000 200 1993 towed TV system (Haorimushi site); 2007 ROV Hyper-dolphin (Tagiri site)
White Point, Palos Verde, California active, confirmed other Coastal California 33.7000 -118.3167 10 1984 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Logatchev-1 active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 14.7520 -44.9785 3050 1993-1994 TV grab and towed photo system; 1995 submersible Mir followed by submersible Nautile

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