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, 14 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -13.9667 | -112.4667 | 2635 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only; 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| Tutum Bay, Ambitle Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tabar-Feni Arc | -4.0833 | 153.5500 | 10 | 1996 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Bahia Concepcion | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Baja California | 26.6667 | -111.8333 | 15 | 1968 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Irabu Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 25.2300 | 124.8800 | 1850 | 2000 submersible Shinkai 6500; 1986 seafloor photos did not confirm activity |
| Enarete Seamount | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 38.6250 | 14.0000 | 600 | 2011 ROV Hercules; 1976 Fe crusts only; 1997 manganese crust only; 2007 plume only |
| Doyo Seamount | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Izu-Bonin Arc | 27.6833 | 140.8167 | 520 | 1990 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Kilo Moana | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.0532 | -176.1336 | 2620 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| 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 |
| Macauley Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -30.2140 | -178.7210 | 500 | 2002 towed camera TAN0205 cruise |
| Mata Tolu | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -15.0049 | -173.7936 | 1900 | 2010 towed camera; 2009 plume and dredge only |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Aden | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Aden Ridge | 11.9500 | 43.6667 | 1600 | 1984 submersible Cyana |
| EPR, 11 24'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.4000 | -103.7800 | 2580 | 1990 submersible Alvin; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1994 (need reference to confirm activity) |
| Isafjardardjup bay | active, confirmed | 66.0500 | -22.6500 | 3 | 1986 or earlier, likely from shore or by SCUBA | ||
| Hinepuia volcanic center | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -26.3900 | -177.2600 | 300 | 2013 HOV Shinkai 6500; 2004 plume and dredging NZAPLUME III expedition |
| Galapagos Mounds | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.4500 | -86.1665 | 2700 | 1977 submersible Alvin |
| Yali | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea | 36.6600 | 27.1300 | 3 | 1991 or earlier, from beach |
| Axial Seamount, ASHES | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 45.9333 | -130.0140 | 1540 | 1984 submersible Alvin |
| Vai Lili | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.2151 | -176.6083 | 1764 | 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Northwest Rota-1 volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 14.6010 | 144.7750 | 599 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| West Rota volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 14.3250 | 144.8330 | 1150 | 2005 ROV Hyper-Dolphin; 2003 plume only; 2004 ROV ROPOS did not observe venting |
| EPR, Ridge 3, 20 40'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.3333 | -113.6792 | 3050 | 1983 Deep Tow camera |
| Mata Fitu | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Lau Basin | -14.9166 | -173.7833 | 2750 | 2010 towed camera |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| Higashi-Ensei | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 28.4393 | 128.1724 | 1220 | 2016 ROV Kaiko dives 723 and 724 |
| Natsushima 84-1 Knoll | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.5750 | 127.1417 | 1600 | 1986 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Broken Spur | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 29.1700 | -43.1717 | 3100 | 1993 submersible Alvin; earlier in 1993, water column anomalies and towed camera did not confirm activity |
| Niua North | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -15.0667 | -173.5667 | 1375 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000; 2008 plume only |
| Saguaro Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -31.8500 | -112.0333 | 2330 | 1999 submersible Alvin; 1998 plume only |