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 ascending Tectonic Setting Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
CLSC, A3 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.6000 -176.4500 2500 1990 submersible Mir
Von Damm active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Mid-Cayman Rise 18.3777 -81.7972 2372 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only
Mariana Mounds active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.0333 144.2833 3600 1987 submersible Alvin
Banua Wuhu submarine volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Sangihe Arc 3.1380 125.4910 10 1996 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Mata Ua active, confirmed arc volcano Lau Basin -15.0166 -173.7833 2397 2012 ROV Quest 4000; 2010 plume only (towed camera did not confirm)
North Cleft, high temperature active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 44.9800 -130.2000 2300 1987 camera/CTD tows discovered low-temperature vents; 1988 submersible Alvin sampled low-temperature vents; 1990 submersible Alvin discovered black smoker
Enarete Seamount active, confirmed arc volcano Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea 38.6250 14.0000 600 2011 ROV Hercules; 1976 Fe crusts only; 1997 manganese crust only; 2007 plume only
Tow Cam active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.3169 -176.1367 2700 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
Luso active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 38.9833 -29.8833 570 2018 ROV Luso
Niua North active, confirmed arc volcano Tonga Arc -15.0667 -173.5667 1375 2012 ROV Quest 4000; 2008 plume only
Menez Gwen active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 37.8417 -31.5250 865 1994 submersible Nautile
EPR, 11 24'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 11.4000 -103.7800 2580 1990 submersible Alvin; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1994 (need reference to confirm activity)
Red Seamount active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 20.8033 -109.3783 2000 1982 submersible Alvin
13 N Ridge Site active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 13.0987 143.6886 3036 2000 deep-tow camera (later, same year - ROV Kaiko)
Isafjardardjup bay active, confirmed 66.0500 -22.6500 3 1986 or earlier, likely from shore or by SCUBA
Aegir active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Mohns Ridge 72.3440 1.5550 2600 2015 ROV Ægir 6000; 2013 plume only; 2015 AUV
Macdonald Seamount active, confirmed intra-plate volcano Central Pacific -28.9833 -140.2500 150 1989 submersible Cyana
EPR, 17 44'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7330 -113.2660 2622 1998 submersible Alvin; 1993 plume only; not explored by Nautile in 1993 or Shinkai 6500 in 1994
EPR, 26.5 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -26.4833 -112.6250 2064 1993 submersible Nautile (or earlier)
Piip Submarine Volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Aleutian Arc, western 55.4167 167.2717 500 1990 Mir submersible; 1981 R/V "Vulcanolog" cruise; 1987 (or 1986) echo-sounder fluid discharge
Kueishan Island, offshore active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 122.0000 1200 2008 or earlier
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
Franklin Seamount active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.9083 151.8300 2366 1990 submersible Mir
Kemp Caldera active, confirmed arc volcano South Sandwich Arc -59.7000 -28.3166 1420 2010 ROV Isis; 2009 plume only
NESCA active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 41.0000 -127.4917 3300 1988 submersible Alvin; 1986 dredge and photographs did not confirm activity
Kagoshima Bay active, confirmed arc volcano Ryukyu Arc 31.6583 130.8000 200 1993 towed TV system (Haorimushi site); 2007 ROV Hyper-dolphin (Tagiri site)
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
EPR, 20 06'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.1000 -113.7080 3000 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana
Tempus Fugit active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 0.7683 -85.9100 2560 2011 ROV Little Hercules
Sasquatch Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9969 -129.0662 2200 2000 submersible Alvin

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