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
Galapagos Rift, 95.5 W active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.6700 -95.4500 3200 1990 submersible Alvin 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
Floc active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 46.3133 -129.7050 2290 1993 DEEPTOW and submersible Alvin
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)
SWIR, Plume 6 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -27.7670 65.1330 3200 1997 plume only
Aden New Century Mountains active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Aden Ridge 12.0833 45.6667 800 2000-2001 plume only
Rose Garden active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 0.8058 -86.2267 2550 1977 submersible Alvin; 1976 plume and photographs of clam shells did not confirm activity (note: Rose Garden is used here as the name of the vent field, but Rose Garden vent site itself not discovered until 1979)
Guaymas Basin, Northern Trough inactive mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 27.3050 -111.5067 2000 1977 submersible Seacliff (hydrothermal deposits only)
MAR, 23 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -23.7428 -13.3936 2880 2013 plume only
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)
Squid Forest inactive mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 68.0000 -17.5000 900 1999 ROV Aglantha
Gakkel Ridge, Site 3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 84.4333 2.1333 4300 2001 plume only
Discovery Deep active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Red Sea 21.2830 38.0500 2100 1965 "confirmed" hot brine and cored seafloor, but see Table 1 in Miller et al. (1966) for historical measurements
Alarcon Rise, Meyibo active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 23.3553 -108.5443 2295 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts
EPR, 17 42'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7000 -113.2500 2600 1993 plume only
GEISEIR site 26, segment M4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -43.6901 92.8451 2500 2009 plume only
EPR, 14 18'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -14.3000 -112.6670 2630 1993 plume only
Saldanha active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 36.5667 -33.4333 2300 1998 submersible Nautile
SEIR-WXC02 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -50.2500 137.0000 2620 2015 plume only
EPR, 9 30'N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 9.5167 -104.2414 2580 1989 Argo I towed video
SWIR, D54 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -52.4370 13.3120 4029 2000-2001 plume and dredge only
GEISEIR site 14, segment L1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.0716 86.1550 2700 2010 plume only
CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 7 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -17.0000 66.8000 3100 2010 plume only
Axial Seamount, International District active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 45.9266 -129.9795 1544 1986 submersible Pisces IV
EPR, 2 S, off-axis active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -2.0840 -102.8270 3000 2008 plume only
GEISEIR site 37, segment O4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -47.7483 98.1756 2800 2009 plume only
MAR, 4 48'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S MAR -4.8058 -12.3742 3050 2005 AUV ABE (cruise CD169 ) followed by ROV Quest (cruise M64/1)
GEISEIR site 22, segment L3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -42.1130 88.0420 2400 1996 plume only; 2009 plume only
MAR, 14 54'N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N MAR 14.9200 -44.9000 3500 1988 or earlier seafloor photographs did not confirm hydrothermal activity
AHA Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 1.7333 -102.2830 2850 2000 towed imaging ARGO-II

Pages