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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIR, Segment 3, Hydrothermal Plume Site | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -24.0000 | 69.6667 | 2840 | 1987 plume only; 2005/2006 plume only |
| SEIR-WXC02 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.2500 | 137.0000 | 2620 | 2015 plume only |
| EPR, 17 44'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7330 | -113.2660 | 2622 | 1998 submersible Alvin; 1993 plume only; not explored by Nautile in 1993 or Shinkai 6500 in 1994 |
| Lucky Strike | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.2933 | -32.2733 | 1740 | 1993 submersible Alvin; 1992 dredge and 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 |
| Tevnia | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 10.3333 | -103.5533 | 2925 | 1994 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| EPR, Ridge 1, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.8333 | -114.1667 | 3000 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 7 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -17.0000 | 66.8000 | 3100 | 2010 plume only |
| Zenith-Victory | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 20.1292 | -45.6225 | 2390 | 2008 (need citation to confirm that the field was discovered by TV-profiling and dredging) |
| EPR, 26 10'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -26.2050 | -112.6133 | 2600 | 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin did not observe active vents |
| MAR, 25 50'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 25.8083 | -44.9833 | 3000 | NotProvided |
| EPR, 20 06'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.1000 | -113.7080 | 3000 | 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana |
| Alarcon Rise/Tamayo intersection | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.2336 | -108.6168 | 2358 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts did not confirm activity |
| MAR, 11 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 11.0380 | -43.6483 | 4010 | 1984 plume only; 2009 plume only |
| Flow | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 46.5250 | -129.5783 | 2390 | 1993 ROV ROPOS |
| Neptune's Beard | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9100 | -44.9000 | 4100 | 1984 plume only; 2000 TV survey did not confirm activity |
| Petersburgskoe | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 19.8666 | -45.8666 | 3100 | 2010 dredging only |
| Europa | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.3500 | -81.8500 | 2400 | 2009 plume only, not observed on dive with hybrid ROV Nereus |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 6, 14.75 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -14.7500 | 66.5000 | 3400 | 2010 plume only |
| Salty Dawg Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9822 | -129.0756 | 2200 | 1995 submersible Alvin, followed by ROV ROPOS |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| Duanqiao | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.6579 | 50.4671 | 1780 | 2008 video and TV-grab DY115-20 Leg 5; 2015 TV-grab DY125-34 |
| EPR, 8 53'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 8.9000 | -104.2000 | 2580 | 1991 plume only |
| SWIR, D62 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.2530 | 15.1030 | 3990 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| EPR, 30.1 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -30.1330 | -111.7640 | 2480 | 1998 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 27, segment M5 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -43.9805 | 93.4571 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Galapagos Rift, 95.5 W | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.6700 | -95.4500 | 3200 | 1990 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| GEISEIR site 16, segment L3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.5883 | 87.2615 | 2500 | 2010 plume only |
| Gakkel Ridge, Site 5 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 86.3500 | 37.0000 | 3600 | 2001 plume only |
| Carlsberg Ridge, CR2003 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Carlsberg Ridge | 6.0500 | 60.9500 | 3500 | 2003 plume only; 2007 plume only |