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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TaiJi | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -13.5900 | -14.5200 | 3180 | 2011 plume only |
| Boomerang Seamount | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -37.7217 | 77.8250 | 850 | 1996 plume and wax core only |
| Landing Stage | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.5000 | 51.0000 | 2300 | 2014 leg 2 or 3 of the 30th Chinese Cruise |
| EPR, 1.4 S, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -1.3690 | -102.4560 | 3000 | 2008 towed video |
| MAR, 33 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -32.9676 | -14.4517 | 2600 | 2013 plume only |
| Zenith-Victory | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 20.1292 | -45.6225 | 2390 | 2008 (need citation to confirm that the field was discovered by TV-profiling and dredging) |
| MAR, 25 50'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 25.8083 | -44.9833 | 3000 | NotProvided |
| EPR, 28 S, Segment W3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.0170 | -112.9040 | 2130 | 1998 plume only |
| MAR, 11 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 11.0380 | -43.6483 | 4010 | 1984 plume only; 2009 plume only |
| SWIR, D20 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -53.0200 | 22.1880 | 4170 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| EPR, 21 40'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.6340 | -114.3010 | 2730 | 1987-1988 deposits only |
| Neptune's Beard | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9100 | -44.9000 | 4100 | 1984 plume only; 2000 TV survey did not confirm activity |
| GEISEIR site 21, segment L3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.0050 | 87.8808 | 2400 | 2010 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 7, segment K3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.8020 | 81.8380 | 2540 | 1996 plume only; 2010 plume only |
| EPR, 16 24'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.4000 | -113.0500 | 2640 | 1993 plume only |
| SEIR-WXC17 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.3000 | 133.8000 | 2780 | 2015 plume 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 |
| EPR, 9 40'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.6500 | -104.2600 | 2572 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 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 |
| Tiancheng | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -27.9670 | 63.5500 | 3600 | 2014 HOV Jiaolong; 1997 plume only; 2009 DY115-20 Leg 7 plume and deposits; |
| Gorda Ridge, 41 30'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 41.5167 | -127.4500 | 3350 | 1984 deposits only |
| Nolan's Nook | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.1500 | -111.9167 | 2330 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 33, segment O2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.2383 | 97.1566 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Galapagos Mounds | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.4500 | -86.1665 | 2700 | 1977 submersible Alvin |
| 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 |
| Explorer Deep | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 50.1000 | -129.7500 | 3200 | 1969, deposits only |
| Alarcon Rise/Pescadero intersection | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.6423 | -108.3948 | 2384 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts did not confirm activity |
| EPR/Tamayo intersection | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 22.9333 | -108.0667 | 3200 | 1979 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| Aurora | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 82.8833 | -6.2500 | 4100 | 2001 shimmering water in camera tow and sulfide chimney in dredge |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 4, 11.3 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -11.3000 | 66.4000 | 3500 | 2010 plume only |