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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kos | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea | 36.8500 | 27.2500 | 10 | 1983 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Magic Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Explorer Ridge | 49.7500 | -130.2667 | 1850 | 1984 submersible Pisces IV |
| 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 |
| Source | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.1550 | -129.8100 | 2055 | 1993 submersible Alvin |
| Franklin Seamount | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Woodlark Basin | -9.9083 | 151.8300 | 2366 | 1990 submersible Mir |
| Natsushima 84-1 Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.5750 | 127.1417 | 1600 | 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Von Damm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.3777 | -81.7972 | 2372 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
| Espalamaca | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | 38.5500 | -28.6000 | 50 | 2010 or earlier likely SCUBA | |
| Doyo Seamount | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Izu-Bonin Arc | 27.6833 | 140.8167 | 520 | 1990 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Jaco Scar | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Costa Rica fore arc | 9.1175 | -84.8397 | 1790 | 2009 submersible Alvin |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Steinaholl Vent Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 63.1000 | -24.5333 | 350 | 1990 plume, echosounding, and towed video; 1993 plume only (included echosounding for more precise location) |
| Rumble III volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -35.7333 | 178.4667 | 380 | 2000 towed camera; 1999 plume only |
| Northwest Eifuku | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.4850 | 144.0430 | 1604 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Nikko volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 23.0833 | 142.3333 | 600 | 1992 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1979 first observed discolored water above the seamount |
| Sangeang Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Banda/Sunda Arc | -8.1300 | 119.0900 | 2 | 1991 or earlier, from beach |
| EPR, 26.5 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -26.4833 | -112.6250 | 2064 | 1993 submersible Nautile (or earlier) |
| Pegasus | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7500 | -88.2000 | 2000 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
| West Mata submarine volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -15.0950 | -173.7500 | 1208 | 2009 ROV Jason II; 2008 eruption plume detected |
| Luso | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 38.9833 | -29.8833 | 570 | 2018 ROV Luso |
| Minami-Hiyoshi submarine volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 23.4970 | 141.9400 | 80 | 2005 ROV HyperDolphin |
| Solwara 11 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.1667 | 147.1917 | 1500 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2000 submersible Nautile did not confirm activity |
| 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 |
| Evan | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.2667 | -32.2833 | 1775 | 2006 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 9 47'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.7750 | -104.2802 | 2560 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Irabu Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 25.2300 | 124.8800 | 1850 | 2000 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1986 seafloor photos did not confirm activity |
| Aegir | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 72.3440 | 1.5550 | 2600 | 2015 ROV Ægir 6000; 2013 plume only; 2015 AUV |
| 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 |
| South Cleft | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.6667 | -130.3667 | 2250 | 1981 deep-tow photographs; 1984 submersible Alvin |