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 Settingsort descending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
GEISEIR site 1, segment J2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -39.4400 78.0920 2270 1996 plume only
GEISEIR site 16, segment L3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.5883 87.2615 2500 2010 plume only
SWIR, D54 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -52.4370 13.3120 4029 2000-2001 plume and dredge only
Wagner Basin active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 31.0666 -114.0833 120 2007 echosounder and grab samples
Explorer Deep inactive mid-ocean ridge Explorer Ridge 50.1000 -129.7500 3200 1969, deposits only
Animal Farm active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.6080 -113.4000 2675 1993 submersible Nautile
GEISEIR site 28, segment M6 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -44.7237 94.6039 2700 2009 plume only
EPR, 11 30'N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N EPR 11.4833 -103.7833 2422 1981 towed camera and plume did not confirm activity; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1996 (need reference to confirm activity)
Lucky Strike segment, southern end active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 37.0500 -32.4200 2600 1994 plume only
Rehu-Marka active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.4333 -113.2000 2590 1993 submersible Nautile; 1984 submersible Cyana - Auzende et al. (1996) says that no active black smokers were discovered but Krasnov et al. (1997) says one black smoker observed
Galapagos Rift, 85 50'W inactive mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 0.7500 -85.8333 2600 1988 or earlier submersible observations
Ashadze-4 inactive mid-ocean ridge N MAR 12.9700 -44.8500 4530 2007 ROV VICTOR 6000 did not find hydrothermal activity
Vityaz megamullion active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -5.4000 68.5833 3500 1979 plume and deposits only
Mohns Ridge, 72.8 N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Mohns Ridge 72.8060 4.1650 2300 2013 plume only
EPR, 17 47'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7900 -113.3000 2600 1993 plume only
EPR, 27.7 S, Segment W3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -27.7000 -112.9170 2105 1998 plume only
Sea Cliff active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 42.7550 -126.7083 2800 1988 submersible Sea Cliff; 1985 plume only; 1986 dredge and camera tow did not confirm activity
CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -8.2500 68.2000 3600 2010 plume only
EPR, 15 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -15.0000 -112.7700 2640 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only
Ringvent active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 27.5083 -111.6792 1740 2016 submersible Alvin; 2009 towed camera/CTD/bottles
MAR, 12 48'N inactive mid-ocean ridge N MAR 12.8000 -44.7883 2400 NotProvided
E Eye of Mordor inactive mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 1.9058 -91.2310 1600 2005 towed video Medea found inactive chimneys
S Oceanographer active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 34.8670 -36.4330 3460 1992 plume only
MAR, 24 30'N inactive mid-ocean ridge N MAR 24.5000 -46.1533 3900 1987 deposits only
Gorda Ridge, EP96B active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 42.5500 -126.8333 3400 1984 deposits only; 1996 plume only
Chile Triple Junction active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Chile Rise -46.3000 -75.8000 3000 2010 plume only
Beebe active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Mid-Cayman Rise 18.5466 -81.7182 4957 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only
EPR, 20 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.0333 -113.6843 3000 1999 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
EPR, 30.8 S, Segment E2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -30.7500 -111.8770 2360 1998 plume only
Pegasus active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 0.7500 -88.2000 2000 2011 ROV Little Hercules

Pages