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 Activitysort descending Tectonic Setting Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
CLSC, A3 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.6000 -176.4500 2500 1990 submersible Mir
Hinepuia volcanic center active, confirmed arc volcano Kermadec Arc -26.3900 -177.2600 300 2013 HOV Shinkai 6500; 2004 plume and dredging NZAPLUME III expedition
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)
Middle Valley, Bent Hill Massive Sulfide active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 48.4341 -128.6812 2440 1990 HOV Alvin, 1985 deposits only
Mariana Trough, Central Trough active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.0467 144.7533 3676 1987 submersible Alvin
Daikoku volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 21.3240 144.1940 450 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only
Source active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.1550 -129.8100 2055 1993 submersible Alvin
White Point, Palos Verde, California active, confirmed other Coastal California 33.7000 -118.3167 10 1984 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
EPR, 1.4 S, off-axis active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -1.3690 -102.4560 3000 2008 towed video
TELVE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.1667 -176.6040 1760 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
ESR, E2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -56.0917 -30.3250 2641 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
EPR, 2 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -2.2200 -102.6550 2900 2008 towed video and AUV ABE
Kairei Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge CIR -25.3195 70.0400 2460 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only
Mothra Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9233 -129.1082 2270 1996 ROV ROPOS; 1986 plume only
TOTO Caldera active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 12.7167 143.5333 2960 2000 deep-tow camera (later, same year - ROV Kaiko); 1998 or earlier hydrothermal deposits dredged; 1998 plume only
Macdonald Seamount active, confirmed intra-plate volcano Central Pacific -28.9833 -140.2500 150 1989 submersible Cyana
Steinaholl Vent Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Reykjanes Ridge 63.1000 -24.5333 350 1990 plume, echosounding, and towed video; 1993 plume only (included echosounding for more precise location)
Ashadze-1 active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 12.9733 -44.8633 4200 2003 TV profiling; 2007 ROV Victor 6000
Alarcon Rise, Ja Sit active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 23.3765 -108.5315 2304 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts
Red Seamount active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 20.8033 -109.3783 2000 1982 submersible Alvin
Tonga Arc, Volcano 19 active, confirmed arc volcano Tonga Arc -24.8000 -177.0167 970 2005 with submersibles PISCES IV and PISCES V and ROV RCV-150; 2003 plume and dredge only
EPR, 13 N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 12.8333 -103.9500 2630 1982 submersible Cyana; 1981 towed camera, dredging, and plume did not confirm activity
Yoron Hole active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.4916 127.5333 590 2010 ROV Hyperdolphin
Yokosuka active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.2638 124.3733 2190 2016 ROV Kaiko; 2014 plume only
Northwest Eifuku active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 21.4850 144.0430 1604 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only
Sasquatch Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9969 -129.0662 2200 2000 submersible Alvin
Banua Wuhu submarine volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Sangihe Arc 3.1380 125.4910 10 1996 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
EPR, 26 10'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -26.2050 -112.6133 2600 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin did not observe active vents
Giggenbach volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Kermadec Arc -30.0333 -178.7167 180 2005 submersible PISCES V; 2002 plume only
Mata Fitu active, confirmed arc volcano Lau Basin -14.9166 -173.7833 2750 2010 towed camera

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