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
Mariana Trough, plume 2 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.7610 143.4730 2950 2003 plume only
FRSC, 11a-3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.7950 -174.5230 2000 2008 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 27 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.7500 -176.0190 2570 2004 plume only; 2009 plume only
C-ELSC, plume 19 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.8700 -176.2170 2230 2004 plume only
ESR, E9 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center East Scotia Ridge -60.0500 -29.9300 2402 2009 towed video; 1999 plume only; 2010 ROV Isis
Franklin Seamount active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.9083 151.8300 2366 1990 submersible Mir
Pika active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9183 143.6483 2990 2003 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2003 plume only
West Fiji Ridge active, inferred back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -17.0000 176.0000 3000 1995 deep tow
MTJ, T08C03 and T08C04 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.6100 -174.8200 2300 2008 plume only
CLSC, northern plumes on CL6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -18.1333 -176.2833 2250 2009 plume only
Solwara 13 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7320 151.7465 2000 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 1993 plume only
Mariana Trough, Central Trough active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.0467 144.7533 3676 1987 submersible Alvin
Vai Lili active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2151 -176.6083 1764 1989 submersible Nautile
Little Volcano active, inferred back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.7500 -59.2500 1500 1995 plume only
Deception Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.9500 -60.6500 100 1995 or earlier intertidal
FRSC, T12A-01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.7850 -174.5260 500 2012 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 28 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.6500 -175.9890 2550 2004 plume only
C-ELSC, unnamed active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1070 -176.2920 2300 2004 (assume submersible Shinkai 6500); 2004 plume only on previous cruise
Lobster active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3330 -176.2830 1500 2008 plume and dredge only
FRSC, Central active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.4917 -174.5417 2419 2004 plume only
Irabu Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 25.2300 124.8800 1850 2000 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1986 seafloor photos did not confirm activity
PACMANUS field active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7250 151.6700 1800 1991 deep-tow camera and video; 1995 submersible Shinkai 6500
MTJ, T08C03, 15.72 S active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.7186 -174.8338 2400 2008 plume only
CLSC, plumes on CL1 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.8667 -176.3833 2250 2009 plume only
Solwara 16 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.4380 149.9670 2163 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
Mariner active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.1800 -176.6017 1910 2003 plume and camera tow; 2004 submersible Shinkai 6500
Minami-Ensei Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 28.3917 127.6417 740 1988 deep tow TV surveys followed by submersible Shinkai 2000; 1986 dredged Calyptogena shells
ABE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.7619 -176.1910 2220 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise
SPOT, Hatoma Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8550 123.8410 1520 1999 submersible Shinkai 2000
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)

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