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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraternaya Bight, Ushishir Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kuril Arc | 47.5167 | 152.8000 | 60 | 1985 SCUBA |
| Tow Cam | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.3169 | -176.1367 | 2700 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| El Hierro, Tagoro | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | 27.6200 | -17.9900 | 350 | 2016 submersible JAGO, 2017 ROV Liropus 2000, 2011 water column sampling | |
| Animal Farm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.6080 | -113.4000 | 2675 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| Montserrat Offshore Springs | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lesser Antilles Arc | 16.7100 | -62.2300 | 10 | 1996 or earlier (assume SCUBA) |
| Evan | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.2667 | -32.2833 | 1775 | 2006 submersible Nautile |
| Precious Stone Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.2200 | -101.4900 | 1700 | 2009 deep-tow video and TV grab |
| 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 |
| Banua Wuhu submarine volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Sangihe Arc | 3.1380 | 125.4910 | 10 | 1996 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Mata Fitu | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -14.9166 | -173.7833 | 2750 | 2010 towed camera |
| Sonne 99 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.9500 | 173.9167 | 1980 | 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab |
| 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) |
| Northwest Rota-1 volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 14.6010 | 144.7750 | 599 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Vulkanolog | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -30.6870 | -178.4530 | 130 | 1979 and 1998 (need to check references); 2002 plume not detected NZAPLUME II |
| 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 |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| Tempus Fugit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7683 | -85.9100 | 2560 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
| EPR, Ridge 3, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.3333 | -113.6792 | 3050 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| Rapa Nui | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.5620 | -114.3000 | 2845 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1987-1988 deposits only |
| Higa | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 26.5550 | 126.2233 | 1485 | 2015 ROV Kaiko |
| Omuro Hole | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Izu-Bonin Arc | 34.5467 | 139.4417 | 200 | 2012 ROV Hyper-Dolphin |
| Solitaire Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -19.5450 | 65.8500 | 2630 | 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only |
| Kueishan Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 24.8333 | 121.9500 | 30 | 1999, likely by SCUBA |
| Navidad | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.5300 | -94.0750 | 2380 | 2005 towed video Medea |
| EPR, 9 17'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.2800 | -104.2166 | 2585 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| Middle Valley, Bent Hill Massive Sulfide | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 48.4341 | -128.6812 | 2440 | 1990 HOV Alvin, 1985 deposits only |
| Rumble V volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -36.1333 | 178.1833 | 755 | 2001 towed camera; 1999 plume and dredged mussel shells |
| Tangaroa volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -36.3250 | 178.0333 | 890 | 2012 likely towed video or TV grab; 1999 plume only |
| Ashadze-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9917 | -44.9067 | 3300 | 2007 ROV Victor 6000; 2005 TV profiling, plume, and dredge did not confirm activity |
| Magic Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 49.7500 | -130.2667 | 1850 | 1984 submersible Pisces IV |