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 Regionsort ascending Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
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, 18 15'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.2500 -113.3500 2680 1993 submersible Nautile
EPR, 28.7 S, Segment W4 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -28.7000 -112.9880 2350 1998 plume only
EPR, 7 25'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -7.4167 -107.8000 2750 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1998 submersible Alvin
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
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, 22 30'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -22.5000 -114.3670 2600 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity)
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, 29.5 S, Segment E1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -29.5000 -111.7200 2580 1998 plume only
EPR, 7 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -7.0000 -107.5500 2600 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab
EPR, 23 30'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -23.5333 -115.5667 2600 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin
EPR, 17 12'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.2000 -113.1500 2590 1993 submersible Nautile
EPR, 1 S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -0.8000 -102.4600 2800 2005 plume only
EPR, 18 32'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.5550 -113.4160 2647 1993 submersible Nautile
EPR, 29.8 S, Segment E1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -29.8000 -111.7300 2580 1998 plume only
Animal Farm active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -18.6080 -113.4000 2675 1993 submersible Nautile
EPR, 23 50'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -23.8233 -115.4558 2650 2005 submersible Alvin; 1990 or earlier towed TV camera did not confirm activity
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, 1.4 S, off-axis active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -1.3690 -102.4560 3000 2008 towed video
EPR, 2 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -2.2200 -102.6550 2900 2008 towed video and AUV ABE
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, 17 42'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -17.7000 -113.2500 2600 1993 plume only
Rapa Nui active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -21.5620 -114.3000 2845 1999 submersible Alvin; 1987-1988 deposits only
EPR, 30.1 S, Segment E1 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -30.1330 -111.7640 2480 1998 plume only
EPR, 2 S, off-axis active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -2.0840 -102.8270 3000 2008 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, 26.5 S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -26.4833 -112.6250 2064 1993 submersible Nautile (or earlier)
EPR, 30.4 S, Segment E2 active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -30.3750 -111.7640 2320 1998 plume only
EPR, 10 34'S active, inferred mid-ocean ridge S EPR -10.5667 -110.2800 2900 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity)
EPR, 20 06'S active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge S EPR -20.1000 -113.7080 3000 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana

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