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 Activitysort descending Tectonic Setting Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
Baby Bare Seamount active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.7100 -127.7870 2600 1995 submersible Alvin
Navidad active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.5300 -94.0750 2380 2005 towed video Medea
Sakai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5481 126.9895 1600 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000; 1987 plume only
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)
Moytirra active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 45.4833 -27.8500 2900 2011 ROV Holland 1; 2008 plume only MAPRs, ROV Isis buoyant plume, but no visual confirmation
Flow active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.5250 -129.5783 2390 1993 ROV ROPOS
EPR, 8 38'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 8.6333 -104.2000 2550 2003 submersible Alvin; 1989 dredge only; 2002 plume only
Salty Dawg Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9822 -129.0756 2200 1995 submersible Alvin, followed by ROV ROPOS
Main Endeavour Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9487 -129.0981 2220 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only
Don Joao de Castro Bank active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Terceira Rift 38.2300 -26.6300 45 1995 SCUBA
White Point, Palos Verde, California active, confirmed other Coastal California 33.7000 -118.3167 10 1984 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
EPR, Ridge 1, 20 40'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.8333 -114.1667 3000 1983 Deep Tow camera
Not Dead Yet active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.6899 -129.3772 2419 2007 ROV Jason II; 1991 camera tow did not confirm activity
Tonga Arc, Volcano 19 active, confirmed arc volcano Tonga Arc -24.8000 -177.0167 970 2005 with submersibles PISCES IV and PISCES V and ROV RCV-150; 2003 plume and dredge only
Guaymas Basin, Southern Trough active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 27.0148 -111.4109 2000 1982 submersible Alvin; 1980 DeepTow CTD and dredging
Kulo Lasi active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -14.9200 -177.2500 1478 2010 submersible Nautile
TELVE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.1667 -176.6040 1760 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Solwara 13 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7320 151.7465 2000 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 1993 plume only
Snake Pit active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 23.3683 -44.9500 3500 1985 real-time TV and imaging sonar; earlier in 1985 seafloor photographs did not confirm activity
EPR, 17 12'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.2000 -113.1500 2590 1993 submersible Nautile
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
Minami-Hiyoshi submarine volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 23.4970 141.9400 80 2005 ROV HyperDolphin
Maug Caldera active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 20.0200 145.2200 145 2003 SCUBA shallow vents; 2004 ROV ROPOS deeper vents; 2003 plume only deeper vents
AHA Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 1.7333 -102.2830 2850 2000 towed imaging ARGO-II
Loki's Castle active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Mohns Ridge 73.5500 8.1500 2400 2008 ROV Bathysaurus
Banda Api active, confirmed arc volcano Banda/Sunda Arc -4.5250 129.8710 3 1993 SCUBA
Izena Cauldron active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.2667 127.0833 1610 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000
EPR, 18 32'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.5550 -113.4160 2647 1993 submersible Nautile
Mussel Valley active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -18.8167 173.4833 2700 1989 submersible Nautile; 1987 plume; 1988 towed camera did not confirm activity
Forecast active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 13.4000 143.9166 1470 1992 submersible Shinkai 6500

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