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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Don Joao de Castro Bank | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Terceira Rift | 38.2300 | -26.6300 | 45 | 1995 SCUBA |
| Kos | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea | 36.8500 | 27.2500 | 10 | 1983 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Tow Cam | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.3169 | -176.1367 | 2700 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| Main Endeavour Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9487 | -129.0981 | 2220 | 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only |
| EPR, 2 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.2200 | -102.6550 | 2900 | 2008 towed video and AUV ABE |
| Stealth | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.6167 | -113.2330 | 2600 | 1996 Argo II towed video; 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin |
| 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 |
| Bahia Concepcion | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Baja California | 26.6667 | -111.8333 | 15 | 1968 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| EPR, 9 17'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.2800 | -104.2166 | 2585 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| Mata Ua | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -15.0166 | -173.7833 | 2397 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000; 2010 plume only (towed camera did not confirm) |
| Montserrat Offshore Springs | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lesser Antilles Arc | 16.7100 | -62.2300 | 10 | 1996 or earlier (assume SCUBA) |
| 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 |
| 13 N Ridge Site | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Mariana Trough | 13.0987 | 143.6886 | 3036 | 2000 deep-tow camera (later, same year - ROV Kaiko) |
| Galapagos Mounds | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.4500 | -86.1665 | 2700 | 1977 submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 37 40'S Axial Dome | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | -37.6667 | -110.8667 | 2240 | 1997 video survey L'Atalante (do not know if activity confirmed); 1995 TV survey did not confirm activity; 2001 towed video and TV-grab definitely confirmed |
| Ribeira Quente | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Terceira Rift | 37.7250 | -25.3160 | 10 | 1986 or earlier, likely from shore or by SCUBA |
| 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 |
| Kasuga 2 Seamount | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.6000 | 143.6167 | 500 | 1987 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 |
| Northwest Rota-1 volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 14.6010 | 144.7750 | 599 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Natsushima 84-1 Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.5750 | 127.1417 | 1600 | 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| TAG | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 26.1367 | -44.8267 | 3670 | 1985 towed camera and temperature anomaly; 1986 submersible Alvin |
| Saguaro Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.8500 | -112.0333 | 2330 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only |
| Loki's Castle | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 73.5500 | 8.1500 | 2400 | 2008 ROV Bathysaurus |
| Source | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.1550 | -129.8100 | 2055 | 1993 submersible Alvin |
| Kemp Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | South Sandwich Arc | -59.7000 | -28.3166 | 1420 | 2010 ROV Isis; 2009 plume only |
| Nikko volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 23.0833 | 142.3333 | 600 | 1992 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1979 first observed discolored water above the seamount |
| Iguanas-Pinguinos | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.1000 | -91.9350 | 1640 | 2005 towed video Medea |
| Santorini | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea | 36.4333 | 25.4000 | 400 | 1960's, likely by SCUBA; 2006 deeper vents HOV Thetis and AUV SeaBED |
| 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 |