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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Blanco Depression | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.2170 | -129.6250 | 3460 | 1994 ROV U.S. Navy's Advanced Tethered Vehicle |
| Hafa Adai | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Mariana Trough | 16.9570 | 144.8680 | 3294 | 2016 ROV Deep Discoverer; 2015 AUV Sentry plume mapping |
| Bounty Seamount | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | Central Pacific | -25.1667 | -129.4000 | 420 | 1999 submersible Nautile; 1989 plume only |
| EPR, 9 40'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.6500 | -104.2600 | 2572 | 1989 Argo I towed video; 1991 submersible Alvin |
| Steinaholl Vent Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Reykjanes Ridge | 63.1000 | -24.5333 | 350 | 1990 plume, echosounding, and towed video; 1993 plume only (included echosounding for more precise location) |
| ABE | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -20.7619 | -176.1910 | 2220 | 2004 AUV ABE; 2004 plume only on previous cruise |
| Saldanha | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 36.5667 | -33.4333 | 2300 | 1998 submersible Nautile |
| Northwest Eifuku | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 21.4850 | 144.0430 | 1604 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |
| Sakai | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 27.5481 | 126.9895 | 1600 | 1988 submersible Shinkai 2000; 1987 plume only |
| Capo Miseno, Gulf of Naples | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Italy | 40.7833 | 14.0833 | 20 | 1982 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| 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 |
| Niuatahi | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -15.3790 | -174.0196 | 1635 | 2009 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only; 2004 dredging (SS11/2004 cruise); 2005 plume only; 2008 commercial ROV (report does not confirm activity) |
| Si'iSi'i | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.2900 | -176.6290 | 1950 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| Mokuyo Seamount | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Izu-Bonin Arc | 28.3200 | 140.5800 | 1200 | 1990 submersible Shinkai 2000 |
| Prony Bay | active, confirmed | other | -22.3333 | 166.8333 | 50 | 1979 or earlier, likely SCUBA | |
| EPR, 17 12'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -17.2000 | -113.1500 | 2590 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| Tangaroa volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kermadec Arc | -36.3250 | 178.0333 | 890 | 2012 likely towed video or TV grab; 1999 plume only |
| Solwara 11 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.1667 | 147.1917 | 1500 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2000 submersible Nautile did not 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) |
| Ruby | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 15.6200 | 145.5700 | 214 | 2006 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only |
| High-Rise Field | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 47.9666 | -129.0894 | 2200 | 1988 submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 11 42'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.7000 | -103.8500 | 2580 | 1984 Angus camera (or 1985 Argo video) tow with temperature |
| Adventure Caldera | active, confirmed | arc volcano | South Sandwich Arc | -59.7210 | -27.8571 | 520 | 2011 SHRIMP towed camera system; 2010 high resolution bathymetry only |
| DESMOS Cauldron | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Manus Basin | -3.6958 | 151.8717 | 2000 | 1990 deep-sea monitoring system (DESMOS) video and still cameras |
| Vailulu'u Seamount | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | Central Pacific | -14.2167 | -169.0667 | 1000 | 2005 submersible Pisces V; 2000 plume only |
| Pescadero Basin, Auka | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.9567 | -108.8618 | 3685 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts; 1990 or earlier plume only |
| Axial Seamount, ASHES | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 45.9333 | -130.0140 | 1540 | 1984 submersible Alvin |
| EPR, 18 32'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.5550 | -113.4160 | 2647 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| South Cleft | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | JdF Ridge | 44.6667 | -130.3667 | 2250 | 1981 deep-tow photographs; 1984 submersible Alvin |
| Northwest Rota-1 volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 14.6010 | 144.7750 | 599 | 2004 ROV ROPOS; 2003 plume only |