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 Setting Region Latitude Longitudesort ascending Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
EPR, 23 50'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -23.8233 -115.4558 2650 2005 submersible Alvin; 1990 or earlier towed TV camera did not confirm activity
EPR, 23 30'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -23.5333 -115.5667 2600 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin
Punta Banda active, confirmed other Coastal Baja California 31.7500 -116.7500 30 1960's commercial abalone divers
White Point, Palos Verde, California active, confirmed other Coastal California 33.7000 -118.3167 10 1984 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Gorda Ridge, GR-15 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 42.9500 -126.5500 3365 1985 plume only
Sea Cliff active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 42.7550 -126.7083 2800 1988 submersible Sea Cliff; 1985 plume only; 1986 dredge and camera tow did not confirm activity
Gorda Ridge, EP96A active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 42.6790 -126.7820 3150 1996 camera/temperature tow followed by ROV did not confirm hydrothermal activity
Gorda Ridge, EP96B active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 42.5500 -126.8333 3400 1984 deposits only; 1996 plume only
Gorda Ridge, 41 30'N inactive mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 41.5167 -127.4500 3350 1984 deposits only
NESCA active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 41.0000 -127.4917 3300 1988 submersible Alvin; 1986 dredge and photographs did not confirm activity
SESCA active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 40.7500 -127.5200 3300 1986 sediments and heat-flow measurements
Baby Bare Seamount active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.7100 -127.7870 2600 1995 submersible Alvin
Middle Valley, Bent Hill Massive Sulfide active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 48.4341 -128.6812 2440 1990 HOV Alvin, 1985 deposits only
Middle Valley, Dead Dog Vent Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 48.4560 -128.7088 2450 1990 HOV Alvin
ET active, inferred mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 48.1993 -128.9257 2500 NotProvided
Split Seamount active, inferred mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.6400 -128.9667 2350 1990 camera tow (need reference to check if activity confirmed)
West Valley active, inferred mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 48.4833 -129.0417 3000 1987 and 1988 deposits only (towed camera did not confirm activity)
Sasquatch Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9969 -129.0662 2200 2000 submersible Alvin
Salty Dawg Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9822 -129.0756 2200 1995 submersible Alvin, followed by ROV ROPOS
High-Rise Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9666 -129.0894 2200 1988 submersible Alvin
Main Endeavour Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9487 -129.0981 2220 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only
Mothra Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9233 -129.1082 2270 1996 ROV ROPOS; 1986 plume only
Stockwork active, inferred mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9000 -129.1240 2300 2005 submersible Alvin (need publication to determine if confirmed)
Not Dead Yet active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.6899 -129.3772 2419 2007 ROV Jason II; 1991 camera tow did not confirm activity
Bounty Seamount active, confirmed intra-plate volcano Central Pacific -25.1667 -129.4000 420 1999 submersible Nautile; 1989 plume only
Flow active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.5250 -129.5783 2390 1993 ROV ROPOS
East Blanco Depression active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 44.2170 -129.6250 3460 1994 ROV U.S. Navy's Advanced Tethered Vehicle
Floc active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.3133 -129.7050 2290 1993 DEEPTOW and submersible Alvin
Explorer Deep inactive mid-ocean ridge Explorer Ridge 50.1000 -129.7500 3200 1969, deposits only
Source active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.1550 -129.8100 2055 1993 submersible Alvin

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