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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPR, 26 10'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -26.2050 | -112.6133 | 2600 | 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin did not observe active vents |
| EPR, 16 35'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.5830 | -113.0600 | 2650 | 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| EPR, 30.1 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -30.1330 | -111.7640 | 2480 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 18 15'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.2500 | -113.3500 | 2680 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 14 35'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -14.5830 | -112.6670 | 2630 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 26.5 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -26.4833 | -112.6250 | 2064 | 1993 submersible Nautile (or earlier) |
| EPR, Ridge 1, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.8333 | -114.1667 | 3000 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| 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) |
| EPR, 30.4 S, Segment E2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -30.3750 | -111.7640 | 2320 | 1998 plume only |
| 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, 18 26'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.4333 | -113.3833 | 2650 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1983 seafloor photos, temperature anomalies, and deposits did not confirm activity; 1984 submersible Cyana observed only inactive sites; 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity) |
| EPR, 27.7 S, Segment W3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -27.7000 | -112.9170 | 2105 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, Ridge 3, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.3333 | -113.6792 | 3050 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| EPR, 17 12'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.2000 | -113.1500 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 30.8 S, Segment E2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -30.7500 | -111.8770 | 2360 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 18 32'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.5550 | -113.4160 | 2647 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 11 18'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -11.3000 | -110.5300 | 2650 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 17 34'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.5667 | -113.2333 | 2600 | 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1996 Argo II towed video |
| 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 |
| EPR, 27.9 S, Segment W3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -27.8670 | -112.9120 | 2180 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 31.4 S, Segment E4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.4330 | -111.9670 | 2350 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 2 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.2200 | -102.6550 | 2900 | 2008 towed video and AUV ABE |
| EPR, 17 42'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7000 | -113.2500 | 2600 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 15 24'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -15.4000 | -112.8350 | 2640 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 28 S, Segment W3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.0170 | -112.9040 | 2130 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 2 S, off-axis | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -2.0840 | -102.8270 | 3000 | 2008 plume only |
| Saguaro Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.8500 | -112.0333 | 2330 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only |
| Nolan's Nook | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.1500 | -111.9167 | 2330 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 17 44'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7330 | -113.2660 | 2622 | 1998 submersible Alvin; 1993 plume only; not explored by Nautile in 1993 or Shinkai 6500 in 1994 |
| EPR, 15 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -15.0000 | -112.7700 | 2640 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only |