Abstract Tidal and inertial currents and profuse hydrothermal discharge at recently erupted Axial Volcano, Juan de Fuca Ridge, cause relatively large and rapid temperature (T) changes in the near-bottom water column. Measurements show short-term T variations of as much as 0.13°C at 30 m and 0.18°C at 150 m above bottom and currents that have strong tidal components and means of 3–5 cm s−1. Locations and magnitudes of the hydrothermal sources leading to the observed T variations have been inferred via an inverse calculation. Results imply noncongruent source regions around the mooring site for plumes from low- and high-buoyancy flux sources. Water column and seafloor observations in the volcano’s caldera region generally support the distribution of source types and sites inferred. A high-buoyancy flux, ephemeral venting site, unexpected on the eastern shoulder of the volcano, is also indicated by the inverse calculation and supported by water-column survey data. Over the O(10 km2) calculation region, heat ...