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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLSC, plumes on CL1 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.8667 | -176.3833 | 2250 | 2009 plume only |
| Sumisu Rift | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Izu-Bonin back-arc | 31.1000 | 139.8917 | 1600 | 1987 submersible Alvin inactive chimneys only |
| FRSC, Central | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.4917 | -174.5417 | 2419 | 2004 plume only |
| Solwara 18 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.0760 | 147.2390 | 1308 | 2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV; 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed) |
| Volcano O | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.3790 | -174.0196 | 1635 | 2009 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only; 2004 dredging (SS11/2004 cruise); 2005 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity) |
| C-ELSC, plume 17 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.9900 | -176.2530 | 2270 | 2004 plume only |
| Tafu | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.3833 | -174.2500 | 1400 | 2008 or 2009 commercial ROV; 2008 plume only; 2009 ROV Jason II |
| ELSC3 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.1667 | -176.3333 | 2140 | 2009 plume only |
| White Lady | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.9833 | 173.9167 | 2000 | 1988 towed camera and plume; 1989 submersible Nautile |
| SuSu Knolls | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.8000 | 152.1000 | 1520 | 1996 towed camera/video; 1993 plume only |
| FRSC, RC 129 and CTD 24 plume sites | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.0250 | -174.5017 | 1650 | 2004 plume only; 2004 dredging |
| NE Pual | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.6754 | 151.7272 | 1875 | 2006 ROV Jason II |
| Solwara 19 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.6660 | 148.7640 | 1039 | 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed) |
| Tarama Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 25.0916 | 124.5416 | 1540 | 2009 ROV HyperDolphin |
| Si'iSi'i | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.2900 | -176.6290 | 1950 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| Bayonnaise Knoll caldera | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Izu-Bonin back-arc | 31.9667 | 139.7333 | 900 | 2003 temperature anomalies, but camera survey observed inactive vent deposits |
| MTJ, t08c05 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.5134 | -174.7407 | 2100 | 2008 plume only |
| Calypso Vents | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Taupo Volcanic Zone | -37.6800 | 177.1170 | 200 | 1989 submersible Soucoup |
| C-ELSC, plume 18 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.9500 | -176.2390 | 2230 | 2004 plume only |
| Pika | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Mariana Trough | 12.9183 | 143.6483 | 2990 | 2003 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2003 plume only |
| Hine Hina | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.5300 | -176.6970 | 1900 | 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Three Sisters, Middle Sister | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Bransfield Strait | -62.6420 | -58.9833 | 1040 | 1995 plume only; 1999 still had no visual confirmation |
| Kulo Lasi | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -14.9200 | -177.2500 | 1478 | 2010 submersible Nautile |
| Hafa Adai | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Mariana Trough | 16.9570 | 144.8680 | 3294 | 2016 ROV Deep Discoverer; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping |
| VFR, ELSC7 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.8833 | -176.7500 | 2050 | 2009 plume and dredge only |
| FRSC, South Central | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.6667 | -174.5167 | 1820 | 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples; 2009 camera tow and sampling (activity not confirmed) |
| Minami-Ensei Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 28.3917 | 127.6417 | 740 | 1988 deep tow TV surveys followed by submersible Shinkai 2000; 1986 dredged Calyptogena shells |
| Snail | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Mariana Trough | 12.9533 | 143.6200 | 2880 | 2003 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only |
| MTJ, t08c03, 15.63 S | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.6330 | -174.8248 | 2300 | 2008 plume only |
| Dugong submarine volcano | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.4500 | -175.7000 | 1170 | 2008 plume only |