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
White Lady active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9833 173.9167 2000 1988 towed camera and plume; 1989 submersible Nautile
NELSC, T08C12 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.2179 -174.1788 2000 2008 plume only
FRSC, 11a-3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.7950 -174.5230 2000 2008 plume only
Franklin Seamount active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.9083 151.8300 2366 1990 submersible Mir
CLSC, northern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.2833 2250 2009 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 14 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.3200 -176.3640 2100 2004 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
VFR, ELSC7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.8833 -176.7500 2050 2009 plume and dredge only
ABE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.7619 -176.1910 2220 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
C-ELSC, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1070 -176.2920 2300 2004 (assume submersible Shinkai 6500); 2004 plume only on previous cruise
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)
Central Andaman Trough, seamount crater, dredge 6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.0000 94.0000 1640 1994 deposits 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
FRSC, T12A-01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.7850 -174.5260 500 2012 plume only
FRSC, Central active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.4917 -174.5417 2419 2004 plume only
CLSC, plumes on CL1 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.8667 -176.3833 2250 2009 plume only
PACMANUS field active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7250 151.6700 1800 1991 deep-tow camera and video; 1995 submersible Shinkai 6500
C-ELSC, plume 15 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.2700 -176.3470 2230 2004 plume only
Momoko active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.6400 -176.7210 2180 1989 submersible Nautile
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 12 inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7086 151.8834 1920 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 inactive
east of Central Spreading Ridge inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -15.4510 174.6902 3000 NotProvided
VFR, plume 12 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.7300 -176.4530 1910 2004 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)
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
North Knoll, Iheya Ridge active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.7908 126.8966 1100 1995 deep tow survey
Woodlark Basin, Segment 3B active, inferred back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.8000 155.0667 3300 2009 plume only
MTJ, T08C05 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.5134 -174.7407 2100 2008 plume only
Solwara 13 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7320 151.7465 2000 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 1993 plume only
FRSC, RC 129 and CTD 24 plume sites active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.0250 -174.5017 1750 2004 plume only; 2004 dredging

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