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 ascending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
Prony Bay active, confirmed other -22.3333 166.8333 50 1979 or earlier, likely SCUBA
Vema Fracture Zone active, inferred other N MAR 10.7100 -42.6800 5180 2015 plume only
Capo Miseno, Gulf of Naples active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.7833 14.0833 20 1982 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Capo Palinuro active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.0167 15.2667 30 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
San Felipe active, inferred other Coastal Baja California 31.0000 -114.8000 1 1982 or earlier, likely from shore
White Point, Palos Verde, California active, confirmed other Coastal California 33.7000 -118.3167 10 1984 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Punta Banda active, confirmed other Coastal Baja California 31.7500 -116.7500 30 1960's commercial abalone divers
Punta Mita, Bahia de Banderas active, confirmed other Coastal Mexico 20.7700 -105.5200 10 1997 photo/video most likely by SCUBA
Ischia Island, Gulf of Naples active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.7306 13.9500 10 1954 or earlier, from the beach
Dorado Outcrop active, confirmed other 9.0800 -87.0950 3000 2013 ROV Jason Dive J2-751
Bahia Concepcion active, confirmed other Coastal Baja California 26.6667 -111.8333 15 1968 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
GEISEIR site 30, segment O1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -46.6240 96.0594 2500 2009 plume only
EPR, Manzanillo Spreading Segment active, inferred mid-ocean ridge N EPR 18.2500 -106.3000 2600 1997 plume only
Explorer Deep inactive mid-ocean ridge Explorer Ridge 50.1000 -129.7500 3200 1969, deposits only
Mounds and Microbes active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 9.4500 -104.5383 2950 2002 submersible Alvin; 1994 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity
GEISEIR site 19, segment L3 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.8333 87.6266 2400 2009 GEISEIR 1 and 2010 GEISEIR 2 plume only
EPR, 3.9 N offset active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N EPR 3.9170 -102.2330 2875 1989 or earlier Deep Tow photographs (cruise RIFTS or PAPATUA)
W Los Huellos Caldera active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Galapagos Rift 1.0000 -90.6000 1600 2005 plume only
Don Joao de Castro Bank active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Terceira Rift 38.2300 -26.6300 45 1995 SCUBA
Stealth active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.6167 -113.2330 2600 1996 Argo II towed video; 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin
EPR, 14 18'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -14.3000 -112.6670 2630 1993 plume only
Saguaro Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -31.8500 -112.0333 2330 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only
SWIR, Plume 1, Segment 17 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SWIR -31.1830 58.5000 3600 1997 plume only
GEISEIR site 3, segment J4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge SEIR -41.7720 79.7530 2800 1996 plume only
Ashadze-3 inactive mid-ocean ridge N MAR 12.9860 -44.8610 4200 2005 plume and dredge only
EPR, 16 43'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -16.7170 -113.0680 2600 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity)
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)
Lucky Strike active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 37.2933 -32.2733 1740 1993 submersible Alvin; 1992 dredge and plume only
Knipovich Ridge, 76 48'N active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Knipovich Ridge 76.7833 8.0000 3500 1996 temperature anomaly and towed video did not confirm activity
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

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