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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W Eye of Mordor | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 1.9707 | -91.3900 | 1600 | 2005 towed video Medea observed inactive chimneys |
| Duanqiao | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -37.6579 | 50.4671 | 1780 | 2008 video and TV-grab DY115-20 Leg 5; 2015 TV-grab DY125-34 |
| Beebe | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 18.5466 | -81.7182 | 4957 | 2010 AUV Autosub6000 and HyBIS TVG; 2009 plume only |
| Gorda Ridge, EP96B | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 42.5500 | -126.8333 | 3400 | 1984 deposits only; 1996 plume only |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 7 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -17.0000 | 66.8000 | 3100 | 2010 plume only |
| EPR, 16 24'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.4000 | -113.0500 | 2640 | 1993 plume only |
| Walsh | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Mid-Cayman Rise | 17.8333 | -81.8333 | 4000 | 2009 plume only; 2013 plume only |
| SWIR, D62 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SWIR | -52.2530 | 15.1030 | 3990 | 2000-2001 plume and dredge only |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 4, 11.2 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -11.2000 | 66.5000 | 3800 | 2010 plume only |
| MAR, 14 54'N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.9200 | -44.9000 | 3500 | 1988 or earlier seafloor photographs did not confirm hydrothermal activity |
| SEIR-WXC02 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -50.2500 | 137.0000 | 2620 | 2015 plume only |
| GEISEIR site 11, segment K4 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.5375 | 82.8266 | 2600 | 2010 plume only |
| Don Joao de Castro Bank | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Terceira Rift | 38.2300 | -26.6300 | 45 | 1995 SCUBA |
| Moytirra | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 45.4833 | -27.8500 | 2900 | 2011 ROV Holland 1; 2008 plume only MAPRs, ROV Isis buoyant plume, but no visual confirmation |
| EPR, 26 10'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -26.2050 | -112.6133 | 2600 | 1987 or earlier [need to check Marchig & Gundlach (1987)]; 2005 submersible Alvin did not observe active vents |
| S-OH1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 34.5330 | -36.8500 | 3000 | 1996 submersible Nautile did not find active vents; 2000 or earlier plume only |
| NESCA | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gorda Ridge | 41.0000 | -127.4917 | 3300 | 1988 submersible Alvin; 1986 dredge and photographs did not confirm activity |
| Hess Deep | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Galapagos Rift | 2.2500 | -101.5000 | 5100 | NotProvided |
| EPR, 9 17'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.2800 | -104.2166 | 2585 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| 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 |
| Kairei Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -25.3195 | 70.0400 | 2460 | 2000 ROV Kaiko; 1993 plume only |
| Knipovich Ridge, 75 N | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | Knipovich Ridge | 74.8000 | 8.4417 | 3185 | 2000 plume only |
| EPR, 1.4 S, off-axis | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -1.3690 | -102.4560 | 3000 | 2008 towed video |
| Carlsberg Ridge, 1.67 S | inactive | mid-ocean ridge | Carlsberg Ridge | -1.6768 | 67.7700 | 4500 | NotProvided |
| GEISEIR site 21, segment L3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | SEIR | -42.0050 | 87.8808 | 2400 | 2010 plume only |
| MAR, 8 10'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -8.1670 | -13.4670 | 2000 | 2001 plume only |
| Feather Duster | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 10.9267 | -103.6767 | 2520 | 1984 towed camera and submersible Alvin |
| South Kurchatov | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 40.4670 | -29.5500 | 2900 | 1992 plume only; 1995 plume only |
| Logatchev-3 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.7083 | -44.9667 | 3100 | 1993-1999 (between these dates) |
| EPR, 30.1 S, Segment E1 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -30.1330 | -111.7640 | 2480 | 1998 plume only |