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
Tahi Moana 2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9200 -176.5330 1870 1989 submersible Nautile (need reference to check if activity confirmed); 2004 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity)
Esmeralda Bank active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 14.9667 145.2500 323 1990 towed video and TV-grab; 1978 hydrothermal deposits only
Adventure Caldera active, confirmed arc volcano South Sandwich Arc -59.7210 -27.8571 520 2011 SHRIMP towed camera system; 2010 high resolution bathymetry only
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
EPR, 23 50'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -23.8233 -115.4558 2650 2005 submersible Alvin; 1990 or earlier towed TV camera did not confirm activity
Luise Harbor, Lihir Island active, confirmed arc volcano Tabar-Feni Arc -3.1167 152.6500 30 1990 or earlier
EPR, 10 44.6'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 10.7433 -103.6500 2580 1985 Argo video tow with temperature
Navidad active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.5300 -94.0750 2380 2005 towed video Medea
Calyfield active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 0.8300 -89.6083 1660 2002 submersible Alvin
Tafu active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3833 -174.2500 1400 2008 or 2009 commercial ROV; 2008 plume only; 2009 ROV Jason II
White Church active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9612 -176.5234 1960 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey
Luso active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 38.9833 -29.8833 570 2018 ROV Luso
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
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)
Seamount X active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 13.2500 144.0200 1450 1994 or earlier submersible Shinkai 6500
EPR, 3.9 N offset active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 3.9170 -102.2330 2875 1989 or earlier Deep Tow photographs (cruise RIFTS or PAPATUA)
Irinovskoye active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 13.3327 -44.9099 3000 2013 ROV Victor6000; 2007 dredge only; 2009 or 2011 did not confirm
Edmond Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge CIR -23.8780 69.5960 3320 2001 ROV Jason
Punta Banda active, confirmed other Coastal Baja California 31.7500 -116.7500 30 1960's commercial abalone divers
Espalamaca active, confirmed intra-plate volcano 38.5500 -28.6000 50 2010 or earlier likely SCUBA
Floc active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.3133 -129.7050 2290 1993 DEEPTOW and submersible Alvin
Mariner active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.1800 -176.6017 1910 2003 plume and camera tow; 2004 submersible Shinkai 6500
Ribeira Quente active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Terceira Rift 37.7250 -25.3160 10 1986 or earlier, likely from shore or by SCUBA
North Knoll, Iheya Ridge active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.7908 126.8966 1100 1995 deep tow survey
Aegir active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Mohns Ridge 72.3440 1.5550 2600 2015 ROV Ægir 6000; 2013 plume only; 2015 AUV
ABE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.7619 -176.1910 2220 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
EPR, 9 50'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 9.8300 -104.2900 2520 1989 Argo I towed video
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)
Misiteli active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.4700 -176.7030 2050 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Logatchev-2 active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 14.7200 -44.9380 2760 2007 ROV VICTOR 6000; 1993-1994 TV grab and towed photo system did not confirm activity; 1996-1998 video imaging and sampling did not confirm activity

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