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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S AMAR 1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 36.0830 | -34.0830 | 2630 | 1992 plume only; 1994 plume only |
MAR, 23 35'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 23.5833 | -45.0000 | 3500 | 1980 submersible Alvin did not observe hydrothermal activity |
Nereus Deep | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Red Sea | 23.1670 | 37.2830 | 2400 | 1972 deposits only |
EPR, 2 S, off-axis | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.0840 | -102.8270 | 3000 | 2008 plume only |
EPR, 30.1 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -30.1330 | -111.7640 | 2480 | 1998 plume only |
CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 7 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -17.0000 | 66.8000 | 3100 | 2010 plume only |
South Cleft | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.6667 | -130.3667 | 2250 | 1981 deep-tow photographs; 1984 submersible Alvin |
Gorda Ridge, EP96B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.5500 | -126.8333 | 3400 | 1984 deposits only; 1996 plume only |
W Eye of Mordor | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9707 | -91.3900 | 1600 | 2005 towed video Medea observed inactive chimneys |
GEISEIR site 37, segment O4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -47.7483 | 98.1756 | 2800 | 2009 plume only |
EPR, 14 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -13.9667 | -112.4667 | 2635 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only; 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
Alarcon Rise, Tzab-ek | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3526 | -108.5597 | 2249 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts |
MAR, 11 26'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 11.4482 | -43.7035 | 3835 | 2009 plume only |
DSDP Hole 504B | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.2267 | -83.7300 | 3500 | NotProvided |
Owen transform fault | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Carlsberg Ridge | 9.8333 | 57.9500 | 4500 | NotProvided |
Von Damm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.3777 | -81.7972 | 2372 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
Knipovich Ridge, 75 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 74.8000 | 8.4417 | 3185 | 2000 plume only |
Gakkel Ridge, Site 6 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 86.5333 | 43.0000 | 3000 | 2001 plume only |
North Cleft, high temperature | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.9800 | -130.2000 | 2300 | 1987 camera/CTD tows discovered low-temperature vents; 1988 submersible Alvin sampled low-temperature vents; 1990 submersible Alvin discovered black smoker |
SWIR, unnamed, Segment 26 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.6080 | 50.8527 | 2800 | 2008 dredge only DY115-20 Leg 6 |
EPR, northern 17 N segment | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 17.6700 | -105.0050 | 2800 | 1997 plume only |
SWIR, 53.2 E | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -36.1010 | 53.2550 | 2218 | 2008 plume and dredge only |
Luso | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 38.9833 | -29.8833 | 570 | 2018 ROV Luso |
Hess Deep | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.2500 | -101.5000 | 5100 | NotProvided |
SEIR-WXC27 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.4000 | 134.3000 | 2760 | 2015 plume only |
GEISEIR site 2, segment J4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.2520 | 79.1030 | 2800 | 1996 plume and dredge only |
GEISEIR site 15, segment L1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.2230 | 86.3892 | 2500 | 2010 plume only |
Menez Gwen | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.8417 | -31.5250 | 865 | 1994 submersible Nautile |
GEISEIR site 27, segment M5 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -43.9805 | 93.4571 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
EPR, 11 24'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.4000 | -103.7800 | 2580 | 1990 submersible Alvin; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1994 (need reference to confirm activity) |