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 Depthsort descending Year and How Discovered
Nagahama Bay, Iwo-dake Volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Ryukyu Arc 30.7500 130.3330 26 1994 or earlier intertidal; 2008 or earlier SCUBA subtidal
White Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.5191 177.1953 30 1989 or earlier, likely SCUBA
Punta Banda active, confirmed other Coastal Baja California 31.7500 -116.7500 30 1960's commercial abalone divers
Luise Harbor, Lihir Island active, confirmed arc volcano Tabar-Feni Arc -3.1167 152.6500 30 1990 or earlier
Capo Palinuro active, confirmed other Coastal Italy 40.0167 15.2667 30 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Matupi Harbour, Rabaul caldera, New Britain Island active, confirmed arc volcano Bismarck Arc -4.2700 152.2000 30 1961 or earlier intertidal
Kueishan Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 121.9500 30 1999, likely by SCUBA
Whale Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.8600 176.9800 42 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Don Joao de Castro Bank active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Terceira Rift 38.2300 -26.6300 45 1995 SCUBA
Prony Bay active, confirmed other -22.3333 166.8333 50 1979 or earlier, likely SCUBA
Espalamaca active, confirmed intra-plate volcano 38.5500 -28.6000 50 2010 or earlier likely SCUBA
Ahyi active, inferred arc volcano Mariana Arc 20.4200 145.0300 60 2003 plume only
Kraternaya Bight, Ushishir Volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Kuril Arc 47.5167 152.8000 60 1985 SCUBA
Eyjafjördur active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 65.8500 -18.1333 65 1997, likely by SCUBA
Minami-Hiyoshi submarine volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 23.4970 141.9400 80 2005 ROV HyperDolphin
Deception Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Bransfield Strait -62.9500 -60.6500 100 1995 or earlier intertidal
Gemini-Oscostar Volcanic Complex active, inferred arc volcano New Hebrides Arc -20.9830 170.2830 100 2001 deposits and plume; 2004 plume and sulfide samples
Kolbeinsey Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 67.0833 -18.7167 110 1988 submersible GEO
Wagner Basin active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 31.0666 -114.0833 120 2007 echosounder and grab samples
Vulkanolog active, confirmed arc volcano Kermadec Arc -30.6870 -178.4530 130 1979 and 1998 (need to check references); 2002 plume not detected NZAPLUME II
Consag Basin active, inferred mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 30.6333 -113.9083 140 2007 echosounder and grab samples
Zealandia active, inferred arc volcano Mariana Arc 16.8800 145.8500 144 2003 plume only; 2009 or earlier ROV did not confirm activity
Maug Caldera active, confirmed arc volcano Mariana Arc 20.0200 145.2200 145 2003 SCUBA shallow vents; 2004 ROV ROPOS deeper vents; 2003 plume only deeper vents
Monowai Cone active, inferred arc volcano Tonga Arc -25.8870 -177.1880 150 1998 R/V Sonne SO-135; 2004 plume only
Macdonald Seamount active, confirmed intra-plate volcano Central Pacific -28.9833 -140.2500 150 1989 submersible Cyana
Giggenbach volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Kermadec Arc -30.0333 -178.7167 180 2005 submersible PISCES V; 2002 plume only
Kagoshima Bay active, confirmed arc volcano Ryukyu Arc 31.6583 130.8000 200 1993 towed TV system (Haorimushi site); 2007 ROV Hyper-dolphin (Tagiri site)
Panarea active, confirmed arc volcano Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea 38.6583 15.1000 200 1800's shallow vents; 1995 deeper vents ROV Comex
Milos active, confirmed arc volcano Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea 36.6667 24.5167 200 1987 or earlier, likely by SCUBA; 1992 Minirover ROV deeper sites
Tonga Arc, Volcano 4 active, inferred arc volcano Tonga Arc -22.0670 -176.2080 200 2003 plume and dredge only

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