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
Woodlark Basin, Segment 5B active, inferred back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.2540 156.1910 3550 1986 plume only; 2000 plume only
Knipovich Ridge, 75 N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Knipovich Ridge 74.8000 8.4417 3185 2000 plume only
Puy des Folles active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 20.5083 -45.6417 2000 1996 submersible Nautile observed only inactive vents
SWIR, D50B active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -52.4200 12.7480 3913 2000-2001 plume and dredge only
Logatchev-3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 14.7083 -44.9667 3100 1993-1999 (between these dates)
GEISEIR site 17, segment L3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.6498 87.3481 2500 2010 plume only
MAR, 17 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -17.2522 -14.2270 3280 2013 plume only
Edison Seamount active, inferred arc volcano Tabar-Feni Arc -3.3100 152.5800 1450 1994 and 1998 TV grab sampling did not confirm hydrothermal activity
EPR, 30.1 S, Segment E1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -30.1330 -111.7640 2480 1998 plume only
EPR, Seamount 5 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N EPR 13.0000 -103.5000 1100 1988 or earlier camera and/or submersible (need to check reference)
EPR, 21 54'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.9000 -114.5000 2800 1987-1988 deposits only [need to check Fouquet et al. (1993) for confirmation]
Solwara 18 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.0760 147.2390 1308 2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV; 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
Tonga Arc, Volcano 8 active, inferred arc volcano Tonga Arc -22.8433 -176.4317 240 2003 plume and dredge only
MTJ, PAPATUA active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3850 -174.6430 2170 1986 PAPATUA Expedition deposits only; 2008 plume only
Carlsberg Ridge, 63 40'E active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Carlsberg Ridge 3.7000 63.6666 3500 2007 plume only
Galapagos Rift, 93.7 W active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.4970 -93.7700 2220 2005 plume only
VFR, plume 3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.4000 -176.6790 1980 2004 plume only
GEISEIR site 31, segment O1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -46.8956 96.5709 2600 2009 plume only
CIR, Segment 3, Hydrothermal Plume Site active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -24.0000 69.6667 2840 1987 plume only; 2005/2006 plume only
Nishinoshima Island active, inferred arc volcano Izu-Bonin Arc 27.2367 140.8783 5 1975 SCUBA
Gakkel Ridge, Site 2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 83.8500 -2.0000 3900 2001 plume only
SWIR, Plume 6 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -27.7670 65.1330 3200 1997 plume only
FRSC, 14b, 16.31 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.3110 -174.5550 2380 2008 plume only
GEISEIR site 4, segment K1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.2025 81.0625 2800 2010 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 14 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.3200 -176.3640 2100 2004 plume only
CLSC, southern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.5000 -176.3833 2250 2009 plume only
GEISEIR site 10, segment K4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -42.4770 82.7100 2500 1996 plume only; 2010 plume only
W Los Huellos Caldera active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 1.0000 -90.6000 1600 2005 plume only
TaiJi active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -13.5900 -14.5200 3180 2011 plume only
Gorda Ridge, GR-15 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 42.9500 -126.5500 3365 1985 plume only

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