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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna Woods, Hydrothermal Field 4 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.3712 | 150.0360 | 2240 | 1990 TV-grab |
| Beebe | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.5466 | -81.7182 | 4957 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
| EPR, 9 30'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.5167 | -104.2414 | 2580 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| North Knoll, Iheya Ridge | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.7908 | 126.8966 | 1100 | 1995 deep tow survey |
| Nibelungen | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -8.3000 | -13.5200 | 2900 | 2006 AUV ABE followed by ROV Quest; 2004 plume only |
| Lilliput | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -9.5500 | -13.1800 | 1500 | 2005 ROV Quest |
| Minami-Hiyoshi submarine volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 23.4970 | 141.9400 | 80 | 2005 ROV HyperDolphin |
| Palinuro | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 39.5500 | 14.7000 | 1000 | 2006 ROV Cherokee; 1968 manganese crust only; 1984 deposits only; 1993 TV profile did not confirm |
| 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 |
| Hot Beach, Mendeleev Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kuril Arc | 43.9760 | 145.7360 | 1 | 1990 or earlier, from the beach |
| Calyfield | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.8300 | -89.6083 | 1660 | 2002 submersible Alvin |
| Bahia Concepcion | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Baja California | 26.6667 | -111.8333 | 15 | 1968 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Nagahama Bay, Iwo-dake Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Ryukyu Arc | 30.7500 | 130.3330 | 26 | 1994 or earlier intertidal; 2008 or earlier SCUBA subtidal |
| Wright volcanic center | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -31.8500 | -179.1880 | 1165 | 2005 submersible PISCES V; 2004 plume NZAPLUME III cruise |
| Yokosuka | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 25.2638 | 124.3733 | 2190 | 2016 ROV Kaiko; 2014 plume only |
| Deception Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Bransfield Strait | -62.9500 | -60.6500 | 100 | 1995 or earlier intertidal |
| Tutum Bay, Ambitle Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tabar-Feni Arc | -4.0833 | 153.5500 | 10 | 1996 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Isafjardardjup bay | active, confirmed | 66.0500 | -22.6500 | 3 | 1986 or earlier, likely from shore or by SCUBA | ||
| 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 |
| Punta Mita, Bahia de Banderas | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Mexico | 20.7700 | -105.5200 | 10 | 1997 photo/video most likely by SCUBA |
| Soria Moria | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 71.2593 | -5.8146 | 750 | 2005 ROV BIODEEP-05 cruise |
| EPR, 10 44.6'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 10.7433 | -103.6500 | 2580 | 1985 Argo video tow with temperature |
| Kasuga 2 Seamount | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.6000 | 143.6167 | 500 | 1987 submersible Alvin |
| Central Cleft, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.7583 | -130.2750 | 2200 | 2000 ROV Tiburon |
| Healy volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -34.9840 | 178.9990 | 1370 | 2005 submersible Pisces V; 1999 plume only |
| Nifonea Ridge | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | New Hebrides back-arc | -18.1330 | 169.5170 | 1900 | 2001 towed video; 2013 ROV Kiel 6000 black smokers |
| 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 |
| Longqi | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.7838 | 49.6494 | 2785 | 2007 towed video sled followed by AUV ABE; 2005 plume only |
| EPR, 9 33'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.5583 | -104.2500 | 2574 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Kos | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea | 36.8500 | 27.2500 | 10 | 1983 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |