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 Longitudesort descending Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
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
San Felipe active, inferred other Coastal Baja California 31.0000 -114.8000 1 1982 or earlier, likely from shore
EPR, 21 54'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.9000 -114.5000 2800 1987-1988 deposits only [need to check Fouquet et al. (1993) for confirmation]
EPR, 22 30'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -22.5000 -114.3670 2600 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity)
EPR, 21 40'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.6340 -114.3010 2730 1987-1988 deposits only
Rapa Nui active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.5620 -114.3000 2845 1999 submersible Alvin; 1987-1988 deposits only
EPR, 21 25'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.4333 -114.2917 2850 1984 submersible Cyana; 1983 deposits only
EPR, 21 20'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.3670 -114.2570 2900 1981 plume only; 1987-1988 deposits only
EPR, Ridge 1, 20 40'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.8333 -114.1667 3000 1983 Deep Tow camera
Wagner Basin active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 31.0666 -114.0833 120 2007 echosounder and grab samples
Consag Basin active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 30.6333 -113.9083 140 2007 echosounder and grab samples
EPR, 20 06'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.1000 -113.7080 3000 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana
EPR, 20 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.0333 -113.6843 3000 1999 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
EPR, Ridge 3, 20 40'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.3333 -113.6792 3050 1983 Deep Tow camera
EPR, 18 32'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.5550 -113.4160 2647 1993 submersible Nautile
Animal Farm active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.6080 -113.4000 2675 1993 submersible Nautile
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)
EPR, 18 15'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.2500 -113.3500 2680 1993 submersible Nautile
EPR, 18 10'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.1700 -113.3440 2700 1993 submersible Nautile; 1983 temperature and light attenuation anomalies
EPR, 17 56'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.9400 -113.3170 2620 1993 plume only
EPR, 17 47'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7900 -113.3000 2600 1993 plume only
EPR, 17 53'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.8800 -113.3000 2610 1993 plume only
EPR, 17 44'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7330 -113.2660 2622 1998 submersible Alvin; 1993 plume only; not explored by Nautile in 1993 or Shinkai 6500 in 1994
EPR, 17 42'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7000 -113.2500 2600 1993 plume only
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
Stealth active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.6167 -113.2330 2600 1996 Argo II towed video; 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin
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
EPR, 17 12'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.2000 -113.1500 2590 1993 submersible Nautile
EPR, 17 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.0000 -113.1170 2680 1993 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)

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