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 Setting |
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 |