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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chile Rise, Segment N8 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Chile Rise | -38.7167 | -91.5667 | 3330 | 1998 plume only |
| Merian | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -26.0166 | -13.8500 | 2550 | 2012 R/V Dayang Yihao; 2013 AUV Abyss plume and side-scan data |
| SWIR, D82 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.2080 | 15.5830 | 4100 | 2000-2001 plume only |
| Galapagos Rift, 95 W | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.5000 | -95.1667 | 2600 | NotProvided |
| GEISEIR site 30, segment O1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -46.6240 | 96.0594 | 2500 | 2009 plume only |
| Gakkel Ridge, Site 6 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 86.5333 | 43.0000 | 3000 | 2001 plume only |
| Ashadze-4 | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9700 | -44.8500 | 4530 | 2007 ROV VICTOR 6000 did not find hydrothermal activity |
| Rehu-Marka | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.4333 | -113.2000 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1984 submersible Cyana - Auzende et al. (1996) says that no active black smokers were discovered but Krasnov et al. (1997) says one black smoker observed |
| EPR, 2 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.2200 | -102.6550 | 2900 | 2008 towed video and AUV ABE |
| EPR, 11 07'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.1330 | -103.7800 | 2580 | 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1989 (need reference to confirm activity); 1991 plume only |
| EPR, mid 17 N segment | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 17.0000 | -105.3800 | 2750 | 1997 plume only |
| Rainbow Bay | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -14.0300 | -14.3400 | 2900 | 2009 towed video did not confirm activity |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -10.6600 | 66.5000 | 3500 | 2010 plume only |
| W Eye of Mordor | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9707 | -91.3900 | 1600 | 2005 towed video Medea observed inactive chimneys |
| Sea Cliff | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.7550 | -126.7083 | 2800 | 1988 submersible Sea Cliff; 1985 plume only; 1986 dredge and camera tow did not confirm activity |
| Beebe | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.5466 | -81.7182 | 4957 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
| S Oceanographer | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 34.8670 | -36.4330 | 3460 | 1992 plume only |
| Soria Moria | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mohns Ridge | 71.2593 | -5.8146 | 750 | 2005 ROV BIODEEP-05 cruise |
| MAR, 14 54'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.9200 | -44.9000 | 3500 | 1988 or earlier seafloor photographs did not confirm hydrothermal activity |
| MAR, 27 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 27.0000 | -44.5000 | 2900 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 28.3 S, Segment W3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.3000 | -112.9830 | 2220 | 1998 plume only |
| SEIR-WXC02 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.2500 | 137.0000 | 2620 | 2015 plume only |
| EPR, 14 35'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -14.5830 | -112.6670 | 2630 | 1993 plume only |
| Central Cleft, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.7583 | -130.2750 | 2200 | 2000 ROV Tiburon |
| Ringvent | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 27.5083 | -111.6792 | 1740 | 2016 submersible Alvin; 2009 towed camera/CTD/bottles |
| Don Joao de Castro Bank | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Terceira Rift | 38.2300 | -26.6300 | 45 | 1995 SCUBA |
| Semyenov-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 13.5137 | -44.9630 | 2440 | 2009 TV grab and photo-TV profiling; 2007 deposits only |
| Longqi | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.7838 | 49.6494 | 2785 | 2007 towed video sled followed by AUV ABE; 2005 plume only |
| TAG | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 26.1367 | -44.8267 | 3670 | 1985 towed camera and temperature anomaly; 1986 submersible Alvin |
| Stealth | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.6167 | -113.2330 | 2600 | 1996 Argo II towed video; 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin |