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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEISEIR site 29, segment M6 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -44.9054 | 94.9673 | 2700 | 2009 plume only |
| Knipovich Ridge, 76 48'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 76.7833 | 8.0000 | 3500 | 1996 temperature anomaly and towed video did not confirm activity |
| Lucky Strike | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.2933 | -32.2733 | 1740 | 1993 submersible Alvin; 1992 dredge and plume only |
| GEISEIR site 18, segment L3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.7133 | 87.4375 | 2500 | 2010 plume only |
| 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 |
| SEIR-WXC17 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.3000 | 133.8000 | 2780 | 2015 plume only |
| MAR, 25 50'N | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 25.8083 | -44.9833 | 3000 | NotProvided |
| Uka Pacha | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 0.7700 | -88.3000 | 2100 | 2011 ROV Little Hercules |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -9.9000 | 66.7500 | 4000 | 2010 plume only |
| Axial Seamount, CASM | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 45.9892 | -130.0272 | 1580 | 1983 submersible Pisces IV |
| MAR, 31 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -31.7377 | -13.3772 | 3050 | 2013 plume only |
| MAR, 11 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 11.0380 | -43.6483 | 4010 | 1984 plume only; 2009 plume only |
| Squid Forest | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Kolbeinsey Ridge | 68.0000 | -17.5000 | 900 | 1999 ROV Aglantha |
| Reykjanes Ridge, Area B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 59.8167 | -29.6833 | 1000 | 1992 submersible Mir did not find vents |
| Gakkel Ridge, 85 E | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gakkel Ridge | 85.6500 | 84.8333 | 3900 | 2001 plume only; 2007 towed video did not confirm activity |
| NESCA | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 41.0000 | -127.4917 | 3300 | 1988 submersible Alvin; 1986 dredge and photographs did not confirm activity |
| Europa | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.3500 | -81.8500 | 2400 | 2009 plume only, not observed on dive with hybrid ROV Nereus |
| Carlsberg Ridge, 63 50'E | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Carlsberg Ridge | 3.6916 | 63.8333 | 3500 | 2009 plume only; 2012 plume and deposits |
| EPR, 21 N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 20.8333 | -109.0833 | 2600 | 1979 submersible Alvin; 1978 submersible Cyana discovered mineral deposits only |
| Merian | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -26.0166 | -13.8500 | 2550 | 2012 R/V Dayang Yihao; 2013 AUV Abyss plume and side-scan data |
| EPR, 1 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -0.8000 | -102.4600 | 2800 | 2005 plume only |
| EPR, 8 53'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 8.9000 | -104.2000 | 2580 | 1991 plume only |
| SWIR, D54 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.4370 | 13.3120 | 4029 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| Rainbow Bay | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -14.0300 | -14.3400 | 2900 | 2009 towed video 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 |
| S-OH2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 34.0670 | -37.4830 | 3250 | 2000 or earlier plume only |
| Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, 60 S segment | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Pacific-Antarctic Ridge | -60.0000 | -152.0000 | 2300 | 2009 plume only |
| North Cleft, low temperature | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.8833 | -130.2667 | 2250 | 1987-1989 camera/CTD tows |
| GEISEIR site 6, segment K2 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -41.6600 | 81.6617 | 2600 | 2007 plume only; 2010 plume only |
| EPR, 28.7 S, Segment W4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -28.7000 | -112.9880 | 2350 | 1998 plume only |