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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| EPR, 11 24'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.4000 | -103.7800 | 2580 | 1990 submersible Alvin; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1994 (need reference to confirm activity) |
| GEISEIR site 1, segment J2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -39.4400 | 78.0920 | 2270 | 1996 plume only |
| EPR, 16 43'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.7170 | -113.0680 | 2600 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity) |
| GEISEIR site 23, segment M2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.0272 | 89.2205 | 2400 | 2009 plume only |
| Bubbylon | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.8000 | -31.5333 | 1000 | 2010 ROV MARUM-QUEST, same cruise as plume discovered by multibeam echosounder |
| GEISEIR site 9, segment K3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.9633 | 82.0600 | 2700 | 2010 plume only |
| MAR, 14 54'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.9200 | -44.9000 | 3500 | 1988 or earlier seafloor photographs did not confirm hydrothermal activity |
| MAR, 30.8 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -30.8327 | -13.4690 | 2950 | 2013 plume only |
| MAR, 30 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -29.9505 | -13.8545 | 3379 | 2013 plume only |
| EPR, 9 50'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.8300 | -104.2900 | 2520 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| SWIR, 51.7 E | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.4660 | 51.7320 | 1595 | 2008 plume and dredge only |
| Walsh | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 17.8333 | -81.8333 | 4000 | 2009 plume only; 2013 plume only |
| EPR, 15 24'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -15.4000 | -112.8350 | 2640 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 18 26'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.4333 | -113.3833 | 2650 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1983 seafloor photos, temperature anomalies, and deposits did not confirm activity; 1984 submersible Cyana observed only inactive sites; 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity) |
| Moytirra | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 45.4833 | -27.8500 | 2900 | 2011 ROV Holland 1; 2008 plume only MAPRs, ROV Isis buoyant plume, but no visual confirmation |
| Landing Stage | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.5000 | 51.0000 | 2300 | 2014 leg 2 or 3 of the 30th Chinese Cruise |
| GEISEIR site 34, segment O3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.4145 | 97.4373 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| EPR, 28 S, Segment W3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.0170 | -112.9040 | 2130 | 1998 plume only |
| Gakkel Ridge, Site 8 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 86.5333 | 69.0000 | 3500 | 2001 plume only |
| 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 |
| Rehu-Marka | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.4333 | -113.2000 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1984 submersible Cyana - Auzende et al. (1996) says that no active black smokers were discovered but Krasnov et al. (1997) says one black smoker observed |
| CIR, 19 29'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -19.4830 | 65.7330 | 2700 | 1988 plume only; 2000 submersible Nautile did not confirm activity |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| SWIR, Plume 1, Segment 17 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -31.1830 | 58.5000 | 3600 | 1997 plume only |
| Logatchev-3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.7083 | -44.9667 | 3100 | 1993-1999 (between these dates) |
| MAR, 4 02'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -4.0333 | -12.2500 | 4000 | 2005 plume only |
| SEIR-WXC17 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.3000 | 133.8000 | 2780 | 2015 plume only |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 5, 12.6 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -12.6000 | 66.1000 | 3800 | 2010 plume only |
| E Eye of Mordor | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9058 | -91.2310 | 1600 | 2005 towed video Medea found inactive chimneys |