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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Sea Rift, 18 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Red Sea | 17.9667 | 40.0667 | 1500 | 1980 submersible Pisces XI (deposits only) |
| EPR, 1.4 S, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -1.3690 | -102.4560 | 3000 | 2008 towed video |
| EPR, Manzanillo Spreading Segment | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 18.2500 | -106.3000 | 2600 | 1997 plume only |
| Markov Deep | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 5.9100 | -33.1800 | 3500 | 2001-2002 and 2003 dredge only |
| Gakkel Ridge, Site 8 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 86.5333 | 69.0000 | 3500 | 2001 plume only |
| North Cleft, high temperature | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.9800 | -130.2000 | 2300 | 1987 camera/CTD tows discovered low-temperature vents; 1988 submersible Alvin sampled low-temperature vents; 1990 submersible Alvin discovered black smoker |
| 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 |
| SEIR | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -28.0614 | 74.1733 | 5000 | NotProvided |
| 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 |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 4, 11.3 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -11.3000 | 66.4000 | 3500 | 2010 plume only |
| Alarcon Rise, Meyibo | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3553 | -108.5443 | 2295 | 2012 ROV Doc Ricketts |
| MAR, 4 02'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -4.0333 | -12.2500 | 4000 | 2005 plume only |
| MAR, 19 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -19.3301 | -11.9421 | 2707 | 2013 plume only |
| S AMAR 1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 36.0830 | -34.0830 | 2630 | 1992 plume only; 1994 plume only |
| EPR, 13 N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 12.8333 | -103.9500 | 2630 | 1982 submersible Cyana; 1981 towed camera, dredging, and plume did not confirm activity |
| SWIR, D36 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.7490 | 11.7110 | 3981 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| EPR, 16 24'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.4000 | -113.0500 | 2640 | 1993 plume only |
| Jade Emperor Mountain | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.9400 | 49.2600 | 1500 | 2010 video sled, plume survey, and geological sampling all suggest inactive |
| Area EX/FX | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -21.4000 | 68.7666 | 3300 | 1986 plume and sediments |
| GEISEIR site 25, segment M4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -43.3115 | 92.1335 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| MAR, 30.8 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -30.8327 | -13.4690 | 2950 | 2013 plume only |
| Lucky Strike | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.2933 | -32.2733 | 1740 | 1993 submersible Alvin; 1992 dredge and plume only |
| GEISEIR site 14, segment L1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.0716 | 86.1550 | 2700 | 2010 plume only |
| Ashadze-1 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 12.9733 | -44.8633 | 4200 | 2003 TV profiling; 2007 ROV Victor 6000 |
| Mothra Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9233 | -129.1082 | 2270 | 1996 ROV ROPOS; 1986 plume only |
| EPR, 10 02'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 10.0330 | -104.3300 | 2560 | 1992 submersible Alvin |
| SWIR, Plume 5 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -27.9170 | 64.4500 | 4000 | 1997 plume only |
| EPR, 18 10'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.1700 | -113.3440 | 2700 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1983 temperature and light attenuation anomalies |
| Squid Forest | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 68.0000 | -17.5000 | 900 | 1999 ROV Aglantha |