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 Settingsort ascending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
Calypso Vents active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.6800 177.1170 200 1989 submersible Soucoup
Minami-Ensei Knoll active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 28.3917 127.6417 740 1988 deep tow TV surveys followed by submersible Shinkai 2000; 1986 dredged Calyptogena shells
Sakai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.5481 126.9895 1600 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000; 1987 plume only
N-ELSC, plume 29 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.6000 -175.9750 2700 2004 plume only
Okinawa Trough, Site ES1 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 30.3303 129.0827 521 1992 dredge only
Tafu active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.3833 -174.2500 1400 2008 or 2009 commercial ROV; 2008 plume only; 2009 ROV Jason II
Solwara 12 inactive back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7086 151.8834 1920 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 inactive
Pere Lachaise inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9667 173.9333 2000 1989 submersible Nautile did not find activity; 1991 submersible Shinkai 6500 did not find activity
Futagoyama active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8674 123.3081 1270 2016 ROV Kaiko dive 717
ELSC3 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.1667 -176.3333 2140 2009 plume only
Whale Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.8600 176.9800 42 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
Central Andaman Trough, rift valley, dredges 9 and 10 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.4166 94.1666 3350 1994 deposits only
Mariana Trough, 15.5 N active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 15.4080 144.5090 4196 2015 plume only, 2016 ROV did not confirm
Alice Springs Field active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.2103 144.7073 3640 1987 submersible Alvin; 1982 plume only
MTJ, T08C05 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.5134 -174.7407 2100 2008 plume only
Izena Cauldron active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.2667 127.0833 1610 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000
VFR, ELSC7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.8833 -176.7500 2050 2009 plume and dredge only
Marsili active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Tyrrhenian Back-Arc Basin, Tyrrhenian Sea 39.2600 14.3780 800 2006 ROV Cherokee; 1989 shimmering water but did not confirm activity
Mussel Valley active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -18.8167 173.4833 2700 1989 submersible Nautile; 1987 plume; 1988 towed camera did not confirm activity
Okinawa Trough, Site ES2 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 28.8137 128.1028 779 1992 dredge only
TELVE active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.1667 -176.6040 1760 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Solwara 13 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.7320 151.7465 2000 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300; 1993 plume only
Nifonea Ridge active, confirmed back-arc spreading center New Hebrides back-arc -18.1330 169.5170 1900 2001 towed video; 2013 ROV Kiel 6000 black smokers
Philippine Ridge, West Philippine Basin inactive back-arc spreading center West Philippine Basin 12.0000 131.4170 5800 NotProvided
White Church active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9612 -176.5234 1960 1989 submersible Nautile; 2004 plume survey
Central Andaman Trough, seamount crater, dredge 6 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Andaman Basin 10.0000 94.0000 1640 1994 deposits only
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.4010 144.8700 3829 2015 plume only
Misiteli active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.4700 -176.7030 2050 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Yoron Hole active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 27.4916 127.5333 590 2010 ROV Hyperdolphin
94SO2 active, inferred back-arc spreading center New Hebrides back-arc -19.4000 169.9000 980 1994 towed camera with temperature did not confirm activity

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