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
Solitaire Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge CIR -19.5450 65.8500 2630 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only
MAR, 30 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -29.9505 -13.8545 3379 2013 plume only
SEIR-WXC17 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -50.3000 133.8000 2780 2015 plume only
EPR, 26.5 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -26.4833 -112.6250 2064 1993 submersible Nautile (or earlier)
EPR, 13 N active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 12.8333 -103.9500 2630 1982 submersible Cyana; 1981 towed camera, dredging, and plume did not confirm activity
Kolbeinsey Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 67.0833 -18.7167 110 1988 submersible GEO
Green Seamount inactive mid-ocean ridge N EPR 20.8033 -109.2833 2000 1982 submersible Alvin observed only inactive
North Cleft, high temperature active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 44.9800 -130.2000 2300 1987 camera/CTD tows discovered low-temperature vents; 1988 submersible Alvin sampled low-temperature vents; 1990 submersible Alvin discovered black smoker
Main Endeavour Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 47.9487 -129.0981 2220 1984 submersible Alvin; 1982 dredge only
MAR, 31 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S MAR -31.7377 -13.3772 3050 2013 plume only
EPR, 20 06'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.1000 -113.7080 3000 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana
EPR, 30.4 S, Segment E2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -30.3750 -111.7640 2320 1998 plume only
CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 6, 14.75 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -14.7500 66.5000 3400 2010 plume only
Precious Stone Mountain active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 1.2200 -101.4900 1700 2009 deep-tow video and TV grab
Menez Gwen active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 37.8417 -31.5250 865 1994 submersible Nautile
Eye of Mordor Seamount active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 1.9410 -91.3100 1555 2005 plume only
Owen transform fault inactive mid-ocean ridge Carlsberg Ridge 9.8333 57.9500 4500 NotProvided
GEISEIR site 34, segment O3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -47.4145 97.4373 2700 2009 plume only
Galapagos Rift, 94.7 W active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.6000 -94.7750 2690 2005 plume only
GEISEIR site 9, segment K3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.9633 82.0600 2700 2010 plume only
GEISEIR site 3, segment J4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.7720 79.7530 2800 1996 plume only
Bubbylon active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 37.8000 -31.5333 1000 2010 ROV MARUM-QUEST, same cruise as plume discovered by multibeam echosounder
Gakkel Ridge, 7.5 E active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gakkel Ridge 85.0167 7.4500 3600 2001 plume only
EPR, 10 08'N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N EPR 10.1300 -104.3300 2580 1983 towed camera and temperature measurements (no direct observations/sampling of hydrothermal fluid)
CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 5, 12.6 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge CIR -12.6000 66.1000 3800 2010 plume only
West Valley active, inferred mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 48.4833 -129.0417 3000 1987 and 1988 deposits only (towed camera did not confirm activity)
Iguanas-Pinguinos active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 2.1000 -91.9350 1640 2005 towed video Medea
Kolbeinsey Ridge, 69 N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 68.7581 -16.0000 1200 1980 or earlier sediments only
Grimsey Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 66.6067 -17.6542 400 1997 submersible Jago
Red Sea Rift, 18 N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Red Sea 17.9667 40.0667 1500 1980 submersible Pisces XI (deposits only)

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