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
N-ELSC, plume 29 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.6000 -175.9750 2700 2004 plume only
SPOT, Hatoma Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8550 123.8410 1520 1999 submersible Shinkai 2000
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
FRSC, Fonualei South active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.5352 -174.5668 1620 2012 ROV Quest 4000
FRSC, South Central active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.6667 -174.5167 1820 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples; 2009 camera tow and sampling (activity not confirmed)
MTJ, PAPATUA active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3850 -174.6430 2170 1986 PAPATUA Expedition deposits only; 2008 plume only
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.4010 144.8700 3829 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
VFR, plume 12 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.7300 -176.4530 1910 2004 plume only
Niuatahi active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3790 -174.0196 1635 2009 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only; 2004 dredging (SS11/2004 cruise); 2005 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity)
Mariner active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.1800 -176.6017 1910 2003 plume and camera tow; 2004 submersible Shinkai 6500
Deception Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.9500 -60.6500 100 1995 or earlier intertidal
Woodlark Basin, Segment 3B active, inferred back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.8000 155.0667 3300 2009 plume only
Extensional Relay Zone A active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.1667 177.4167 2335 1999 towed camera did not confirm activity
ESR, E5 active, inferred back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -57.5000 -30.2000 3000 1999 plume only
SPOT, Yonaguni Knoll IV active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8490 122.7000 1385 2000 submersibles Shinkai 2000 and Shinkai 6500
Higa active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 26.5550 126.2233 1485 2015 ROV Kaiko
TELVE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.1667 -176.6040 1760 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 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
Tow Cam active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.3169 -176.1367 2700 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
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
Mariana Trough, 18.2 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.1080 144.7380 3916 2015 plume only
Yoron Hole active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.4916 127.5333 590 2010 ROV Hyperdolphin
CLSC, CL_8 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.0500 -176.3333 2250 2009 plume only
NWLSC, Southern Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9000 -177.4166 2160 2008 plume only
Hook Ridge active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.1940 -57.2745 1080 1997 hot sediment; 1995 plume only; 1999 even hotter sediment
Solwara 18 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.0760 147.2390 1308 2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV; 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)

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