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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niuatahi | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.3790 | -174.0196 | 1635 | 2009 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only; 2004 dredging (SS11/2004 cruise); 2005 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity) |
| Si'iSi'i | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.2900 | -176.6290 | 1950 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| Hine Hina | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.5300 | -176.6970 | 1900 | 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Peggy Ridge | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.9233 | -176.8250 | 1900 | 1975 or earlier rock samples only; inactive in systematic survey on Arculus cruise SS07/2008 |
| FRSC, Fonualei South | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.5352 | -174.5668 | 1620 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000 |
| N-ELSC, plume 22 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.4000 | -176.1580 | 2700 | 2004 plume only |
| Mata Ua | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -15.0166 | -173.7833 | 2397 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000; 2010 plume only (towed camera did not confirm) |
| C-ELSC, plume 14 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.3200 | -176.3640 | 2100 | 2004 plume only |
| Kilo Moana | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.0532 | -176.1336 | 2620 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| Vai Lili | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.2151 | -176.6083 | 1764 | 1989 submersible Nautile |
| ABE | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.7619 | -176.1910 | 2220 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| Lobster | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.3330 | -176.2830 | 1500 | 2008 plume and dredge only |
| Dugong submarine volcano | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.4500 | -175.7000 | 1170 | 2008 plume only |
| Mariner | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.1800 | -176.6017 | 1910 | 2003 plume and camera tow; 2004 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| Mata Taha | active, inferred | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -15.0416 | -173.7833 | 2160 | 2010 plume only |
| NWLSC, Southern Caldera | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.9000 | -177.4166 | 2160 | 2008 plume only |
| C-ELSC, plume 15 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.2700 | -176.3470 | 2230 | 2004 plume only |
| MTJ, PAPATUA | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.3850 | -174.6430 | 2170 | 1986 PAPATUA Expedition deposits only; 2008 plume only |
| N-ELSC, plume 25 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -19.8900 | -176.0640 | 2680 | 2004 plume only |
| Tahi Moana 1 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.6900 | -176.1800 | 2256 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2004 plume only |
| C-ELSC, plume 17 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.9900 | -176.2530 | 2270 | 2004 plume only |
| CLSC, A3 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.6000 | -176.4500 | 2500 | 1990 submersible Mir |
| N-ELSC, plume 26 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -19.8200 | -176.0420 | 2600 | 2004 plume only |
| C-ELSC, plume 18 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.9500 | -176.2390 | 2230 | 2004 plume only |
| Kulo Lasi | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -14.9200 | -177.2500 | 1478 | 2010 submersible Nautile |
| Tahi Moana 2 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9200 | -176.5330 | 1870 | 1989 submersible Nautile (need reference to check if activity confirmed); 2004 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity) |
| VFR, ELSC7 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.8833 | -176.7500 | 2050 | 2009 plume and dredge only |
| White Church | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -21.9612 | -176.5234 | 1960 | 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey |
| CLSC, CL_7 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.1333 | -176.3667 | 2250 | 2009 plume only |
| N-ELSC, plume 27 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -19.7500 | -176.0190 | 2570 | 2004 plume only; 2009 plume only |