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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N-ELSC, plume 26 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -19.8200 | -176.0420 | 2600 | 2004 plume only |
| N-ELSC, plume 27 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -19.7500 | -176.0190 | 2570 | 2004 plume only; 2009 plume only |
| N-ELSC, plume 28 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -19.6500 | -175.9890 | 2550 | 2004 plume only |
| N-ELSC, plume 29 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -19.6000 | -175.9750 | 2700 | 2004 plume only |
| Solitaire Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -19.5450 | 65.8500 | 2630 | 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only |
| CIR, 19 29'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -19.4830 | 65.7330 | 2700 | 1988 plume only; 2000 submersible Nautile did not confirm activity |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano D | active, inferred | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -19.4500 | -174.9167 | 760 | 2004 plume only |
| 94SO2 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | New Hebrides back-arc | -19.4000 | 169.9000 | 980 | 1994 towed camera with temperature did not confirm activity |
| MAR, 19 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -19.3301 | -11.9421 | 2707 | 2013 plume only |
| Central Spreading Ridge, Station 19 S | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -19.0000 | 173.5000 | 3000 | 1991 submersible Shinkai 6500 did not confirm activity |
| Mussel Valley | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -18.8167 | 173.4833 | 2700 | 1989 submersible Nautile; 1987 plume; 1988 towed camera did not confirm activity |
| Animal Farm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.6080 | -113.4000 | 2675 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| CLSC, A3 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.6000 | -176.4500 | 2500 | 1990 submersible Mir |
| EPR, 18 32'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.5550 | -113.4160 | 2647 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| CLSC, southern plumes on CL6 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.5000 | -176.3833 | 2250 | 2009 plume only |
| 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) |
| Dodo Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -18.3470 | 65.3050 | 2730 | 2009 submersible Shinkai 6500; 2006 plume only |
| EPR, 18 15'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.2500 | -113.3500 | 2680 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| 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 |
| CLSC, CL_7 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.1333 | -176.3667 | 2250 | 2009 plume only |
| CLSC, northern plumes on CL6 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.1333 | -176.2833 | 2250 | 2009 plume only |
| 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 |
| CLSC, CL_8 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.0500 | -176.3333 | 2250 | 2009 plume only |
| EPR, 17 56'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.9400 | -113.3170 | 2620 | 1993 plume only |
| EPR, 17 53'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.8800 | -113.3000 | 2610 | 1993 plume only |
| CLSC, plumes on CL1 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.8667 | -176.3833 | 2250 | 2009 plume only |
| EPR, 17 47'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7900 | -113.3000 | 2600 | 1993 plume only |
| FRSC, T12A-01 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.7850 | -174.5260 | 500 | 2012 plume only |
| EPR, 17 44'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7330 | -113.2660 | 2622 | 1998 submersible Alvin; 1993 plume only; not explored by Nautile in 1993 or Shinkai 6500 in 1994 |
| EPR, 17 42'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.7000 | -113.2500 | 2600 | 1993 plume only |