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 Depthsort descending Year and How Discovered
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, 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
S AMAR 1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 36.0830 -34.0830 2630 1992 plume only; 1994 plume only
Solitaire Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge CIR -19.5450 65.8500 2630 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only
EPR, 14 18'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -14.3000 -112.6670 2630 1993 plume only
EPR, 14 35'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -14.5830 -112.6670 2630 1993 plume only
EPR, 14 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -13.9667 -112.4667 2635 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only; 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500
EPR, 15 24'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -15.4000 -112.8350 2640 1993 plume only
EPR, 15 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -15.0000 -112.7700 2640 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only
EPR, 16 08'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -16.1300 -113.0000 2640 1993 plume only
EPR, 16 24'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -16.4000 -113.0500 2640 1993 plume only
ESR, E2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -56.0917 -30.3250 2641 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
EPR, 18 32'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.5550 -113.4160 2647 1993 submersible Nautile
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
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, 5 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -5.0000 -106.4000 2650 1980's camera tows; 1993 and 1998 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
EPR, 13 N, Marginal High active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 12.7090 -103.9160 2650 1984 submersible Cyana; 1981 towed camera, dredging, and plume did not confirm activity
EPR, 11 18'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -11.3000 -110.5300 2650 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin
EPR, 16 35'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -16.5830 -113.0600 2650 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
Mata Nima inactive arc volcano Lau Basin -14.9583 -173.7833 2670 2010 no plume detected
Animal Farm active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.6080 -113.4000 2675 1993 submersible Nautile
EPR, 18 15'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.2500 -113.3500 2680 1993 submersible Nautile
N-ELSC, plume 25 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.8900 -176.0640 2680 2004 plume only
EPR, 17 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.0000 -113.1170 2680 1993 plume only
Galapagos Rift, 94.7 W active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.6000 -94.7750 2690 2005 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 22 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.4000 -176.1580 2700 2004 plume only
Tow Cam active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.3169 -176.1367 2700 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
GEISEIR site 14, segment L1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.0716 86.1550 2700 2010 plume only
EPR, southern 17 N segment active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N EPR 16.5800 -105.3000 2700 1997 plume only
Galapagos Mounds active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 1.4500 -86.1665 2700 1977 submersible Alvin

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