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
Esmeralda Bank active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 14.9667 145.2500 323 1990 towed video and TV-grab; 1978 hydrothermal deposits only
FRSC, 14b, 16.31 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.3110 -174.5550 2380 2008 plume only
Sakai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5481 126.9895 1600 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000; 1987 plume only
Tarama Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.0916 124.5416 1990 2009 ROV HyperDolphin
White Church active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9612 -176.5234 1960 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey
Sonne 99 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9500 173.9167 1980 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab
Niuatahi active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3790 -174.0196 1635 2009 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only; 2004 dredging (SS11/2004 cruise); 2005 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity)
MTJ, T08C03, 15.72 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.7186 -174.8338 2400 2008 plume only
Station 58, N160 Axis active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.3167 173.5500 3900 1985 plume only; 1991 temperature anomalies but submersible Shinkai 6500 did not confirm activity
ESR, E2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -56.0917 -30.3250 2641 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
Three Sisters, Middle Sister active, inferred back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.6420 -58.9833 1040 1995 plume only; 1999 still had no visual confirmation
Peggy Ridge active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.9233 -176.8250 1900 1975 or earlier rock samples only; inactive in systematic survey on Arculus cruise SS07/2008
CLSC, southern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.5000 -176.3833 2250 2009 plume only
Central Andaman Trough, rift valley, dredges 9 and 10 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.4166 94.1666 3350 1994 deposits only
FRSC, 14b, 16.11 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.1150 -174.5680 2250 2008 plume only
Izena Cauldron active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.2667 127.0833 1610 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000
Mussel Valley active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -18.8167 173.4833 2700 1989 submersible Nautile; 1987 plume; 1988 towed camera did not confirm activity
White Lady active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9833 173.9167 2000 1988 towed camera and plume; 1989 submersible Nautile
Maka active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.4217 -174.2850 1660 2008 commercial ROV; 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples
Perseverance active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 15.4802 144.5077 3935 2016 ROV SuBastian; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping
MTJ, T08C01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9629 -174.7961 2400 2008 plume only
Vai Lili active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2151 -176.6083 1764 1989 submersible Nautile
Okinawa Trough, Site ES1 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 30.3303 129.0827 521 1992 dredge only
ESR, E5 active, inferred back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -57.5000 -30.2000 3000 1999 plume only
Lobster active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3330 -176.2830 1500 2008 plume and dredge only
Misiteli active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.4700 -176.7030 2050 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Pere Lachaise inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9667 173.9333 2000 1989 submersible Nautile did not find activity; 1991 submersible Shinkai 6500 did not find activity
C-ELSC, plume 13 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.4150 -176.3720 2100 2004 plume only
Central Andaman Trough, seamount crater, dredge 6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.0000 94.0000 1640 1994 deposits only
FRSC, 11a-3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.7950 -174.5230 2000 2008 plume only

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