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
VFR, plume 3	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-22.4000	-176.6790	1980	2004 plume only
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
Mariner	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-22.1800	-176.6017	1910	2003 plume and camera tow; 2004 submersible Shinkai 6500
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
MTJ, PAPATUA	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-15.3850	-174.6430	2170	1986 PAPATUA Expedition deposits only; 2008 plume only
Futagoyama	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Okinawa Trough	24.8674	123.3081	1270	2016 ROV Kaiko dive 717
Solwara 17	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Manus Basin	-3.0380	147.5280	535	2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV
N-ELSC, plume 29	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-19.6000	-175.9750	2700	2004 plume only
Mariana Trough, 15.5 N	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Mariana Trough	15.4080	144.5090	4196	2015 plume only, 2016 ROV did not confirm
NELSC, T08C12	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-15.2179	-174.1788	2000	2008 plume only
SPOT, Yonaguni Knoll IV	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Okinawa Trough	24.8490	122.7000	1385	2000 submersibles Shinkai 2000 and Shinkai 6500
NWLSC, Southern Caldera	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-15.9000	-177.4166	2160	2008 plume only
CLSC, plumes on CL1	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-17.8667	-176.3833	2250	2009 plume only
Tripartite Ridge, south of TR1	inactive	back-arc spreading center	North Fiji Basin	-14.5000	177.0000	3000	NotProvided
North Knoll, Iheya Ridge	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Okinawa Trough	27.7908	126.8966	1100	1995 deep tow survey
FRSC, South Central	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-16.6667	-174.5167	1820	2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples; 2009 camera tow and sampling (activity not confirmed)
TELVE	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-22.1667	-176.6040	1760	2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
MTJ, V12A-04	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-15.9540	-174.7110	1330	2012 plume only
VFR, plume 4	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-22.3400	-176.6590	1700	2004 plume only
Solwara 18	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Manus Basin	-3.0760	147.2390	1308	2008 plumes with some sites subsequently observed with ROV; 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
DESMOS Cauldron	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Manus Basin	-3.6958	151.8717	2000	1990 deep-sea monitoring system (DESMOS) video and still cameras
Extensional Relay Zone A	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	North Fiji Basin	-16.1667	177.4167	2335	1999 towed camera did not confirm activity
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Mariana Trough	16.4010	144.8700	3829	2015 plume only
Hook Ridge	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Bransfield Strait	-62.1940	-57.2745	1080	1997 hot sediment; 1995 plume only; 1999 even hotter sediment
Yoron Hole	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Okinawa Trough	27.4916	127.5333	590	2010 ROV Hyperdolphin
Tafu	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-15.3833	-174.2500	1400	2008 or 2009 commercial ROV; 2008 plume only; 2009 ROV Jason II
Tripartite Ridge, south of TR3	inactive	back-arc spreading center	North Fiji Basin	-14.0745	175.4729	3000	NotProvided
NWLSC, Central Caldera	active, inferred	back-arc spreading center	Lau Basin	-15.8000	-177.2666	2200	2008 plume and dredge only
Nifonea Ridge	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	New Hebrides back-arc	-18.1330	169.5170	1900	2001 towed video; 2013 ROV Kiel 6000 black smokers
Temakons	active, confirmed	back-arc spreading center	New Hebrides back-arc	-17.5667	169.1000	1400	1994 towed camera with temperature

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