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 Settingsort descending Region Latitude Longitude Maximum or Single Reported Depth Year and How Discovered
C-ELSC, plume 15 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -21.2700 -176.3470 2230 2004 plume only
Si'iSi'i active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.2900 -176.6290 1950 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only
Solwara 19 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Manus Basin -3.6660 148.7640 1039 2009 commercial ROV Fugro FV300 (activity not confirmed)
MTJ, T08C01 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9629 -174.7961 2400 2008 plume only
White Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Taupo Volcanic Zone -37.5191 177.1953 30 1989 or earlier, likely SCUBA
Futagoyama active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8674 123.3081 1270 2016 ROV Kaiko dive 717
C-ELSC, plume 17 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.9900 -176.2530 2270 2004 plume only
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
Kueishan Island active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 121.9500 30 1999, likely by SCUBA
Mariana Trough, 15.5 N active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 15.4080 144.5090 4196 2015 plume only, 2016 ROV did not confirm
Franklin Seamount active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Woodlark Basin -9.9083 151.8300 2366 1990 submersible Mir
NWLSC, Central Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.8000 -177.2666 2200 2008 plume and dredge only
Snail active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 12.9533 143.6200 2880 2003 ROV Jason II; 2003 plume only
FRSC, Fonualei South active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -17.5352 -174.5668 1620 2012 ROV Quest 4000
NWLSC, Southern Caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9000 -177.4166 2160 2008 plume only
Bayonnaise Knoll caldera active, inferred back-arc spreading center Izu-Bonin back-arc 31.9667 139.7333 900 2003 temperature anomalies, but camera survey observed inactive vent deposits
N-ELSC, plume 25 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.8900 -176.0640 2680 2004 plume only
Starfish Seamount, Tinakula active, confirmed back-arc spreading center New Hebrides back-arc -12.2028 167.6139 1204 2011 commercial ROV; 1989 plume only; 1989 towed camera survey did not confirm activity; 2002 plume and dredge only
C-ELSC, plume 18 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -20.9500 -176.2390 2230 2004 plume only
Kueishan Island, offshore active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 24.8333 122.0000 1200 2008 or earlier
Mariana Trough, 16.5 N active, inferred back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 16.4010 144.8700 3829 2015 plume only
FRSC, Central active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -16.4917 -174.5417 2419 2004 plume only
east of Central Spreading Ridge inactive back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -15.4510 174.6902 3000 NotProvided
Alice Springs Field active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Mariana Trough 18.2103 144.7073 3640 1987 submersible Alvin; 1982 plume only
MTJ, V12A-04 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -15.9540 -174.7110 1330 2012 plume only
Sonne 99 active, confirmed back-arc spreading center North Fiji Basin -16.9500 173.9167 1980 1995 deep tow video and TV-grab
N-ELSC, plume 26 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -19.8200 -176.0420 2600 2004 plume only
VFR, ELSC7 active, inferred back-arc spreading center Lau Basin -22.8833 -176.7500 2050 2009 plume and dredge 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
Higa active, confirmed back-arc spreading center Okinawa Trough 26.5550 126.2233 1485 2015 ROV Kaiko

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To display the full list of Vent Fields, and for export to a CSV file, please click HERE.

The InterRidge Vents Database is hosted by InterRidge at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), France.
This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License
For more information, contact Stace Beaulieu, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA

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