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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alarcon Rise, Ja Sit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3765 | -108.5315 | 2304 | 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts |
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 |
NESCA | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 41.0000 | -127.4917 | 3300 | 1988 submersible Alvin; 1986 dredge and photographs did not confirm activity |
SESCA | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 40.7500 | -127.5200 | 3300 | 1986 sediments and heat-flow measurements |
Gorda Ridge, 41 30'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 41.5167 | -127.4500 | 3350 | 1984 deposits only |
Gorda Ridge, EP96A | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.6790 | -126.7820 | 3150 | 1996 camera/temperature tow followed by ROV did not confirm hydrothermal activity |
Gorda Ridge, EP96B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.5500 | -126.8333 | 3400 | 1984 deposits only; 1996 plume only |
Gorda Ridge, GR-15 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.9500 | -126.5500 | 3365 | 1985 plume only |
Galapagos Rift, 94.7 W | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.6000 | -94.7750 | 2690 | 2005 plume only |
Calyfield | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.8300 | -89.6083 | 1660 | 2002 submersible Alvin |
Galapagos Rift, 95 W | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.5000 | -95.1667 | 2600 | NotProvided |
W Eye of Mordor | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9707 | -91.3900 | 1600 | 2005 towed video Medea observed inactive chimneys |
Galapagos Rift, 95.5 W | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.6700 | -95.4500 | 3200 | 1990 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
W Los Huellos Caldera | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.0000 | -90.6000 | 1600 | 2005 plume only |
Galapagos Mounds | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.4500 | -86.1665 | 2700 | 1977 submersible Alvin |
DSDP Hole 504B | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.2267 | -83.7300 | 3500 | NotProvided |
Rose Garden | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.8058 | -86.2267 | 2550 | 1977 submersible Alvin; 1976 plume and photographs of clam shells did not confirm activity (note: Rose Garden is used here as the name of the vent field, but Rose Garden vent site itself not discovered until 1979) |
Eye of Mordor Seamount | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9410 | -91.3100 | 1555 | 2005 plume only |
Precious Stone Mountain | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.2200 | -101.4900 | 1700 | 2009 deep-tow video and TV grab |
E Eye of Mordor | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9058 | -91.2310 | 1600 | 2005 towed video Medea found inactive chimneys |
Tempus Fugit | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7683 | -85.9100 | 2560 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
Galapagos Rift, 85 50'W | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7500 | -85.8333 | 2600 | 1988 or earlier submersible observations |
E Los Huellos Caldera | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.9500 | -90.5300 | 1600 | 2005 plume only; 2005 towed video Medea did not confirm activity |
Pegasus | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7500 | -88.2000 | 2000 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
Iguanas-Pinguinos | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.1000 | -91.9350 | 1640 | 2005 towed video Medea |
Hess Deep | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.2500 | -101.5000 | 5100 | NotProvided |
Galapagos Rift, 93.7 W | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.4970 | -93.7700 | 2220 | 2005 plume only |
Uka Pacha | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7700 | -88.3000 | 2100 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
Navidad | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.5300 | -94.0750 | 2380 | 2005 towed video Medea |
Galapagos Rift, 94.4 W | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.5300 | -94.3300 | 2400 | 2005 plume only |