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 Activitysort descending Tectonic Setting Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
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
Guaymas Basin, Northern Trough_2 active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Gulf of California 27.4110 -111.3879 1800 2015 ROV Hybis
Myojin Knoll active, confirmed arc volcano Izu-Bonin Arc 32.1033 139.8683 1360 1996 submersible Shinkai 2000
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
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)
Tahi Moana 2 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.9200 -176.5330 1870 1989 submersible Nautile (need reference to check if activity confirmed); 2004 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity)
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
Stanton Seamount active, confirmed arc volcano New Hebrides Arc -10.8670 166.7000 800 2002 towed video
Axial Seamount, ASHES active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge JdF Ridge 45.9333 -130.0140 1540 1984 submersible Alvin
Espalamaca active, confirmed intra-plate volcano 38.5500 -28.6000 50 2010 or earlier likely SCUBA
Magic Mountain active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Explorer Ridge 49.7500 -130.2667 1850 1984 submersible Pisces IV
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
Bahia Concepcion active, confirmed other Coastal Baja California 26.6667 -111.8333 15 1968 or earlier, likely by SCUBA
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
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
NE Pual active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6754 151.7272 1875 2006 ROV Jason II
Mokuyo Seamount active, confirmed arc volcano Izu-Bonin Arc 28.3200 140.5800 1200 1990 submersible Shinkai 2000
Piip Submarine Volcano active, confirmed arc volcano Aleutian Arc, western 55.4167 167.2717 500 1990 Mir submersible; 1981 R/V "Vulcanolog" cruise; 1987 (or 1986) echo-sounder fluid discharge
Hafa Adai active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.9570 144.8680 3294 2016 ROV Deep Discoverer; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping
Kolbeinsey Field active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge Kolbeinsey Ridge 67.0833 -18.7167 110 1988 submersible GEO
Mariana Trough, Central Trough active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.0467 144.7533 3676 1987 submersible Alvin
Menez Gwen active, confirmed mid-ocean ridge N MAR 37.8417 -31.5250 865 1994 submersible Nautile
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

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