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 | Longitude | Maximum or Single Reported Depth | Year and How Discovered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maug Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 20.0200 | 145.2200 | 145 | 2003 SCUBA shallow vents; 2004 ROV ROPOS deeper vents; 2003 plume only deeper vents |
| Von Damm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.3777 | -81.7972 | 2372 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
| Sakai | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.5481 | 126.9895 | 1600 | 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000; 1987 plume only |
| TAG | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 26.1367 | -44.8267 | 3670 | 1985 towed camera and temperature anomaly; 1986 submersible Alvin |
| White Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Taupo Volcanic Zone | -37.5191 | 177.1953 | 30 | 1989 or earlier, likely SCUBA |
| Banua Wuhu submarine volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Sangihe Arc | 3.1380 | 125.4910 | 10 | 1996 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Don Joao de Castro Bank | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Terceira Rift | 38.2300 | -26.6300 | 45 | 1995 SCUBA |
| EPR, 18 32'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.5550 | -113.4160 | 2647 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| White Lady | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.9833 | 173.9167 | 2000 | 1988 towed camera and plume; 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Kolbeinsey Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 67.0833 | -18.7167 | 110 | 1988 submersible GEO |
| 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 |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano 1 | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -21.1500 | -175.7500 | 210 | 2005 with submersibles PISCES IV and PISCES V and ROV RCV-150; 2003 plume and dredge only |
| Capo Palinuro | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Italy | 40.0167 | 15.2667 | 30 | 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Panarea | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 38.6583 | 15.1000 | 200 | 1800's shallow vents; 1995 deeper vents ROV Comex |
| 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 |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano 18 | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -24.5850 | -176.9170 | 1465 | 2011 ROV MAGNUM; 2003 plume and dredge only |
| EPR, 9 47'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.7750 | -104.2802 | 2560 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Semyenov-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 13.5137 | -44.9630 | 2440 | 2009 TV grab and photo-TV profiling; 2007 deposits only |
| Menez Gwen | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.8417 | -31.5250 | 865 | 1994 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 1.4 S, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -1.3690 | -102.4560 | 3000 | 2008 towed video |
| Longqi | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.7838 | 49.6494 | 2785 | 2007 towed video sled followed by AUV ABE; 2005 plume only |
| Ashadze-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9917 | -44.9067 | 3300 | 2007 ROV Victor 6000; 2005 TV profiling, plume, and dredge 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 |
| EPR, 3.9 N offset | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 3.9170 | -102.2330 | 2875 | 1989 or earlier Deep Tow photographs (cruise RIFTS or PAPATUA) |
| Niua North | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -15.0667 | -173.5667 | 1375 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000; 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 |
| Esmeralda Bank | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 14.9667 | 145.2500 | 323 | 1990 towed video and TV-grab; 1978 hydrothermal deposits only |
| Northwest Eifuku | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.4850 | 144.0430 | 1604 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Eyjafjördur | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 65.8500 | -18.1333 | 65 | 1997, likely by SCUBA |
| EPR, 17 34'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.5667 | -113.2333 | 2600 | 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1996 Argo II towed video |