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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPR, 17 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.0000 | -113.1170 | 2680 | 1993 plume only |
| 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, Ridge 3, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.3333 | -113.6792 | 3050 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| EPR, 21 40'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.6340 | -114.3010 | 2730 | 1987-1988 deposits only |
| EPR, 28.3 S, Segment W3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.3000 | -112.9830 | 2220 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 16 24'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.4000 | -113.0500 | 2640 | 1993 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 |
| EPR, 21 54'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.9000 | -114.5000 | 2800 | 1987-1988 deposits only [need to check Fouquet et al. (1993) for confirmation] |
| Rapa Nui | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -21.5620 | -114.3000 | 2845 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1987-1988 deposits only |
| EPR, 1 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -0.8000 | -102.4600 | 2800 | 2005 plume only |
| EPR, 28.4 S, Segment W4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.4170 | -112.9640 | 2350 | 1998 plume only |
| 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 |
| Stealth | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.6167 | -113.2330 | 2600 | 1996 Argo II towed video; 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 5 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -5.0000 | -106.4000 | 2650 | 1980's camera tows; 1993 and 1998 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 |
| Animal Farm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.6080 | -113.4000 | 2675 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 1.4 S, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -1.3690 | -102.4560 | 3000 | 2008 towed video |
| EPR, 28.7 S, Segment W4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.7000 | -112.9880 | 2350 | 1998 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, 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, 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, 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, 29.5 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -29.5000 | -111.7200 | 2580 | 1998 plume only |
| EPR, 17 12'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.2000 | -113.1500 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 7 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -7.0000 | -107.5500 | 2600 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab |
| EPR, 18 32'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.5550 | -113.4160 | 2647 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| Rehu-Marka | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.4333 | -113.2000 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1984 submersible Cyana - Auzende et al. (1996) says that no active black smokers were discovered but Krasnov et al. (1997) says one black smoker observed |
| 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, 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, 29.8 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -29.8000 | -111.7300 | 2580 | 1998 plume only |