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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESR, E9 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | East Scotia Ridge | -60.0500 | -29.9300 | 2402 | 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis |
| Longqi | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.7838 | 49.6494 | 2785 | 2007 towed video sled followed by AUV ABE; 2005 plume only |
| Baby Bare Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.7100 | -127.7870 | 2600 | 1995 submersible Alvin |
| Kilo Moana | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.0532 | -176.1336 | 2620 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| Stealth | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.6167 | -113.2330 | 2600 | 1996 Argo II towed video; 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin |
| White Church | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9612 | -176.5234 | 1960 | 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey |
| Bahia Concepcion | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Baja California | 26.6667 | -111.8333 | 15 | 1968 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Uka Pacha | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7700 | -88.3000 | 2100 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
| Forecast | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 13.4000 | 143.9166 | 1470 | 1992 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| DESMOS Cauldron | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.6958 | 151.8717 | 2000 | 1990 deep-sea monitoring system (DESMOS) video and still cameras |
| Kolbeinsey Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 67.0833 | -18.7167 | 110 | 1988 submersible GEO |
| Ringvent | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 27.5083 | -111.6792 | 1740 | 2016 submersible Alvin; 2009 towed camera/CTD/bottles |
| Middle Valley, Dead Dog Vent Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 48.4560 | -128.7088 | 2450 | 1990 HOV Alvin |
| Central Cleft, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.7583 | -130.2750 | 2200 | 2000 ROV Tiburon |
| EPR, 18 15'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.2500 | -113.3500 | 2680 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 26.5 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -26.4833 | -112.6250 | 2064 | 1993 submersible Nautile (or earlier) |
| Lost City | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 30.1250 | -42.1183 | 800 | 2000 towed video ARGO-II and submersible Alvin |
| 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 |
| Matupi Harbour, Rabaul caldera, New Britain Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Bismarck Arc | -4.2700 | 152.2000 | 30 | 1961 or earlier intertidal |
| Mounds and Microbes | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.4500 | -104.5383 | 2950 | 2002 submersible Alvin; 1994 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| Perseverance | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Mariana Trough | 15.4802 | 144.5077 | 3935 | 2016 ROV SuBastian; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping |
| Pika | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Mariana Trough | 12.9183 | 143.6483 | 2990 | 2003 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2003 plume only |
| North Cleft, high temperature | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.9800 | -130.2000 | 2300 | 1987 camera/CTD tows discovered low-temperature vents; 1988 submersible Alvin sampled low-temperature vents; 1990 submersible Alvin discovered black smoker |
| 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 |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| Source | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.1550 | -129.8100 | 2055 | 1993 submersible Alvin |
| East Diamante volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 15.9300 | 145.6700 | 457 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Chamorro volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 20.8100 | 144.7050 | 896 | 2016 ROV Deep Discoverer; 2003 plume only |
| 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 |