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 Settingsort descending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
Central Spreading Ridge, Station 19 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -19.0000 173.5000 3000 1991 submersible Shinkai 6500 did not confirm activity
Sakai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5481 126.9895 1600 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000; 1987 plume only
western Manus Basin, Bismarck Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.0000 147.0000 1800 NotProvided
Si'iSi'i active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2900 -176.6290 1950 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
13 N Ridge Site active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 13.0987 143.6886 3036 2000 deep-tow camera (later, same year - ROV Kaiko)
CLSC, CL_8 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.0500 -176.3333 2250 2009 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 22 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.4000 -176.1580 2700 2004 plume only
NWLSC, Southern Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9000 -177.4166 2160 2008 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)
Parece Vela Ridge, Philippine Sea inactive back-arc spreading center Parece Vela Basin 16.0000 139.1667 5000 NotProvided
Tarama Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.0916 124.5416 1990 2009 ROV HyperDolphin
C-ELSC, plume 19 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.8700 -176.2170 2230 2004 plume only
east of Central Spreading Ridge inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -15.4510 174.6902 3000 NotProvided
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.4010 144.8700 3829 2015 plume only
Izena Cauldron active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.2667 127.0833 1610 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000
Whale Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.8600 176.9800 42 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Kulo Lasi active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -14.9200 -177.2500 1478 2010 submersible Nautile
Snail active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9533 143.6200 2880 2003 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only
Peggy Ridge active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.9233 -176.8250 1900 1975 or earlier rock samples only; inactive in systematic survey on Arculus cruise SS07/2008
Vai Lili active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2151 -176.6083 1764 1989 submersible Nautile
CLSC, northern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.2833 2250 2009 plume only
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
Solwara 19 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6660 148.7640 1039 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
Mariana Mounds active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.0333 144.2833 3600 1987 submersible Alvin
Higa active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 26.5550 126.2233 1485 2015 ROV Kaiko
C-ELSC, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1070 -176.2920 2300 2004 (assume submersible Shinkai 6500); 2004 plume only on previous cruise
Sumisu Rift active, inferred back-arc spreading center Izu-Bonin back-arc 31.1000 139.8917 1600 1987 submersible Alvin inactive chimneys only
Lobster active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3330 -176.2830 1500 2008 plume and dredge only
Vailulu'u Seamount active, confirmed intra-plate volcano Central Pacific -14.2167 -169.0667 1000 2005 submersible Pisces V; 2000 plume only
Espalamaca active, confirmed intra-plate volcano 38.5500 -28.6000 50 2010 or earlier likely SCUBA

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