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
Gakkel Ridge, 7.5 E active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 85.0167 7.4500 3600 2001 plume only
Kolbeinsey Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 67.0833 -18.7167 110 1988 submersible GEO
Gorda Ridge, 41 30'N inactive mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 41.5167 -127.4500 3350 1984 deposits only
SWIR, 63.9 E active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -27.8510 63.9230 2759 2009 DY115-20 Leg 7 (need reference to confirm activity)
Reykjanes Ridge, Area A active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Reykjanes Ridge 62.4500 -25.4330 500 NotProvided
MAR, 7 57'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -7.9500 -13.4420 2600 2001 plume only
Suakin Deep active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Red Sea 19.6333 38.7333 2850 1972 deposits only
MAR, 30.8 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -30.8327 -13.4690 2950 2013 plume only
EPR, 5 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -5.0000 -106.4000 2650 1980's camera tows; 1993 and 1998 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
EPR, 21 N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 20.8333 -109.0833 2600 1979 submersible Alvin; 1978 submersible Cyana discovered mineral deposits only
Wagner Basin active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 31.0666 -114.0833 120 2007 echosounder and grab samples
EPR, 17 47'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7900 -113.3000 2600 1993 plume only
Landing Stage active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -37.5000 51.0000 2300 2014 leg 2 or 3 of the 30th Chinese Cruise
EPR, 11 18'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -11.3000 -110.5300 2650 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin
NESCA active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gorda Ridge 41.0000 -127.4917 3300 1988 submersible Alvin; 1986 dredge and photographs did not confirm activity
EPR, 9 47'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 9.7750 -104.2802 2560 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin
Aden active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Aden Ridge 11.9500 43.6667 1600 1984 submersible Cyana
Teotihuacan active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 15.7333 -105.4333 2300 2010 submersible Nautile; 1997 plume only
SWIR, Plume 3, Segment 16 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -30.8500 59.3830 3900 1997 plume only
S-OH1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 34.5330 -36.8500 3000 1996 submersible Nautile did not find active vents; 2000 or earlier plume only
GEISEIR site 32, segment O2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -47.1196 96.8947 2600 2009 plume only
Aurora active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 82.8833 -6.2500 4100 2001 shimmering water in camera tow and sulfide chimney in dredge
Split Seamount active, inferred mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.6400 -128.9667 2350 1990 camera tow (need reference to check if activity confirmed)
EPR, 28.7 S, Segment W4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -28.7000 -112.9880 2350 1998 plume only
EPR, 20 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.0333 -113.6843 3000 1999 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, 60 S segment active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Pacific-Antarctic Ridge -60.0000 -152.0000 2300 2009 plume only
SEIR-WXC17 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -50.3000 133.8000 2780 2015 plume only
EPR, 14 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -13.9667 -112.4667 2635 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only; 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500
North Cleft, low temperature active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 44.8833 -130.2667 2250 1987-1989 camera/CTD tows
Alarcon Rise, Tzab-ek active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 23.3526 -108.5597 2249 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts

Pages