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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tahi Moana 2 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9200 | -176.5330 | 1870 | 1989 submersible Nautile (need reference to check if activity confirmed); 2004 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity) |
| White Church | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9612 | -176.5234 | 1960 | 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey |
| Tu'i Malila | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9876 | -176.5678 | 1870 | 2005 ROV Jason II; 2004 plume only |
| Eva | active, inferred | arc volcano | New Hebrides Arc | -22.0000 | 170.7500 | 1600 | 2008 plume only |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano 4 | active, inferred | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -22.0670 | -176.2080 | 200 | 2003 plume and dredge only |
| TELVE | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.1667 | -176.6040 | 1760 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| Mariner | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.1800 | -176.6017 | 1910 | 2003 plume and camera tow; 2004 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| Vai Lili | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.2151 | -176.6083 | 1764 | 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Si'iSi'i | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.2900 | -176.6290 | 1950 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| Prony Bay | active, confirmed | other | -22.3333 | 166.8333 | 50 | 1979 or earlier, likely SCUBA | |
| VFR, plume 4 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.3400 | -176.6590 | 1700 | 2004 plume only |
| VFR, plume 3 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.4000 | -176.6790 | 1980 | 2004 plume only |
| Misiteli | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.4700 | -176.7030 | 2050 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| 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) |
| VFR, unnamed | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.5150 | -176.6500 | 1970 | 2004 plume only |
| Hine Hina | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.5300 | -176.6970 | 1900 | 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Momoko | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.6400 | -176.7210 | 2180 | 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano 8 | active, inferred | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -22.8433 | -176.4317 | 240 | 2003 plume and dredge only |
| VFR, ELSC7 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.8833 | -176.7500 | 2050 | 2009 plume and dredge only |
| Area JX | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -22.9666 | 69.1833 | 3500 | 1986 plume only (camera tow did not confirm) |
| Pito Seamount | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.3275 | -111.6402 | 2270 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| MESO Zone | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -23.3927 | 69.2422 | 2850 | 1993 TV grab and water column measurements |
| EPR, 23 30'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -23.5333 | -115.5667 | 2600 | 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano 14 | active, inferred | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -23.5750 | -176.7050 | 985 | 2003 plume and dredge only |
| MAR, 23 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -23.7428 | -13.3936 | 2880 | 2013 plume only |
| 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 |
| Edmond Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -23.8780 | 69.5960 | 3320 | 2001 ROV Jason |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano 15 | active, inferred | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -23.9000 | -176.7800 | 1400 | 2003 plume only |
| CIR, Segment 3, Hydrothermal Plume Site | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -24.0000 | 69.6667 | 2840 | 1987 plume only; 2005/2006 plume only |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano 16 | active, inferred | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -24.1883 | -176.8217 | 1400 | 2003 plume and dredge only |