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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semyenov-2 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 13.5137 | -44.9630 | 2440 | 2009 TV grab and photo-TV profiling; 2007 deposits only |
| Animal Farm | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -18.6080 | -113.4000 | 2675 | 1993 submersible Nautile |
| EPR, 14 S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -13.9667 | -112.4667 | 2635 | 1985/86 or 1989 TV grab (need to check references to confirm activity); 1993 plume only; 1994 submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| EPR, 9 30'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 9.5167 | -104.2414 | 2580 | 1989 Argo I towed video |
| 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 |
| Yali | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Hellenic Arc, Aegean Sea | 36.6600 | 27.1300 | 3 | 1991 or earlier, from beach |
| Deception Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Bransfield Strait | -62.9500 | -60.6500 | 100 | 1995 or earlier intertidal |
| Punta Mita, Bahia de Banderas | active, confirmed | other | Coastal Mexico | 20.7700 | -105.5200 | 10 | 1997 photo/video most likely by SCUBA |
| CLSC, A3 | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -18.6000 | -176.4500 | 2500 | 1990 submersible Mir |
| Bounty Seamount | active, confirmed | intra-plate volcano | Central Pacific | -25.1667 | -129.4000 | 420 | 1999 submersible Nautile; 1989 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 |
| Nagahama Bay, Iwo-dake Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Ryukyu Arc | 30.7500 | 130.3330 | 26 | 1994 or earlier intertidal; 2008 or earlier SCUBA subtidal |
| Akuseki-jima | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Ryukyu Arc | 29.4610 | 129.5970 | 5 | 1993 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| Seamount X | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Mariana Arc | 13.2500 | 144.0200 | 1450 | 1994 or earlier submersible Shinkai 6500 |
| Hot Beach, Mendeleev Volcano | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Kuril Arc | 43.9760 | 145.7360 | 1 | 1990 or earlier, from the beach |
| Enarete Seamount | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 38.6250 | 14.0000 | 600 | 2011 ROV Hercules; 1976 Fe crusts only; 1997 manganese crust only; 2007 plume only |
| Teotihuacan | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 15.7333 | -105.4333 | 2300 | 2010 submersible Nautile; 1997 plume only |
| Kueishan Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 24.8333 | 121.9500 | 30 | 1999, likely by SCUBA |
| EPR, 20 06'S | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | S EPR | -20.1000 | -113.7080 | 3000 | 1981 Angus camera tow; 1984 submersible Cyana |
| Evan | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 37.2667 | -32.2833 | 1775 | 2006 submersible Nautile |
| 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 |
| Logatchev-1 | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N MAR | 14.7520 | -44.9785 | 3050 | 1993-1994 TV grab and towed photo system; 1995 submersible Mir followed by submersible Nautile |
| Higashi-Ensei | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Okinawa Trough | 28.4393 | 128.1724 | 1220 | 2016 ROV Kaiko dives 723 and 724 |
| Alarcon Rise, Tzab-ek | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | Gulf of California | 23.3526 | -108.5597 | 2249 | 2015 ROV Doc Ricketts |
| EPR, 11 24'N | active, confirmed | mid-ocean ridge | N EPR | 11.4000 | -103.7800 | 2580 | 1990 submersible Alvin; 1988 submersible Alvin dive #1994 (need reference to confirm activity) |
| Misiteli | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -22.4700 | -176.7030 | 2050 | 2008 commercial ROV; 2003 plume only |
| Whale Island | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Taupo Volcanic Zone | -37.8600 | 176.9800 | 42 | 1990 or earlier, likely by SCUBA |
| FRSC, Fonualei South | active, confirmed | back-arc spreading center | Lau Basin | -17.5352 | -174.5668 | 1620 | 2012 ROV Quest 4000 |
| Panarea | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Aeolian Arc, Tyrrhenian Sea | 38.6583 | 15.1000 | 200 | 1800's shallow vents; 1995 deeper vents ROV Comex |
| Luise Harbor, Lihir Island | active, confirmed | arc volcano | Tabar-Feni Arc | -3.1167 | 152.6500 | 30 | 1990 or earlier |