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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stealth | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.6167 | -113.2330 | 2600 | 1996 Argo II towed video; 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin |
| Teahitia seamount | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | Central Pacific | -17.5670 | -148.8167 | 1460 | 1983 submersible Cyana |
| Temakons | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | New Hebrides back-arc | -17.5667 | 169.1000 | 1400 | 1994 towed camera with temperature |
| 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 |
| FRSC, Fonualei South | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.5352 | -174.5668 | 1620 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000 |
| Rehu-Marka | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.4333 | -113.2000 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile; 1984 submersible Cyana - Auzende et al. (1996) says that no active black smokers were discovered but Krasnov et al. (1997) says one black smoker observed |
| MAR, 17 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S MAR | -17.2522 | -14.2270 | 3280 | 2013 plume only |
| Tonga Arc, Volcano J1 | active, inferred | arc volcano | Tonga Arc | -17.2400 | -173.9500 | 560 | 2004 plume only |
| EPR, 17 12'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.2000 | -113.1500 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| FRSC, RC 129 and CTD 24 plume sites | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.0250 | -174.5017 | 1750 | 2004 plume only; 2004 dredging |
| CIR, 8-17 S, Segment 7 | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | CIR | -17.0000 | 66.8000 | 3100 | 2010 plume only |
| West Fiji Ridge | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -17.0000 | 176.0000 | 3000 | 1995 deep tow |
| EPR, 17 S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.0000 | -113.1170 | 2680 | 1993 plume only |
| White Lady | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.9833 | 173.9167 | 2000 | 1988 towed camera and plume; 1989 submersible Nautile |
| Pere Lachaise | inactive | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.9667 | 173.9333 | 2000 | 1989 submersible Nautile did not find activity; 1991 submersible Shinkai 6500 did not find activity |
| Sonne 99 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.9500 | 173.9167 | 1980 | 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab |
| Peggy Ridge | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.9233 | -176.8250 | 1900 | 1975 or earlier rock samples only; inactive in systematic survey on Arculus cruise SS07/2008 |
| Kuwae submarine caldera | active, inferred | arc volcano | New Hebrides Arc | -16.8300 | 168.5300 | 484 | 2001 plume and inconclusive grab samples |
| FRSC, 11a-3 | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.7950 | -174.5230 | 2000 | 2008 plume only |
| EPR, 16 43'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.7170 | -113.0680 | 2600 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity) |
| Epi Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | New Hebrides Arc | -16.6870 | 168.4000 | 320 | 2013 ROV Kiel6000; 1974 sediment samples only; 2001 plume and camera tow (did not confirm activity) |
| FRSC, South Central | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.6667 | -174.5167 | 1820 | 2004 plume only; 2006 plume and chimney samples; 2009 camera tow and sampling (activity not confirmed) |
| EPR, 16 35'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.5830 | -113.0600 | 2650 | 1993 plume only; 1998 submersible Alvin did not confirm activity |
| FRSC, Central | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.4917 | -174.5417 | 2419 | 2004 plume only |
| EPR, 16 24'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.4000 | -113.0500 | 2640 | 1993 plume only |
| Station 58, N160 Axis | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.3167 | 173.5500 | 3900 | 1985 plume only; 1991 temperature anomalies but submersible Shinkai 6500 did not confirm activity |
| FRSC, 14b, 16.31 S | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.3110 | -174.5550 | 2380 | 2008 plume only |
| Extensional Relay Zone A | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | North Fiji Basin | -16.1667 | 177.4167 | 2335 | 1999 towed camera did not confirm activity |
| EPR, 16 08'S | active, inferred | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -16.1300 | -113.0000 | 2640 | 1993 plume only |
| FRSC, 14b, 16.11 S | active, inferred | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -16.1150 | -174.5680 | 2250 | 2008 plume only |