Volcanoes: An Introduction

Why do volcanoes erupt, and in so many different ways? What happens when a volcano erupts in the sea? How can eruptions be predicted or even modified? Many such questions are posed and answered in this clearly written and wide-ranging introduction to volcanoes. From time immemorial the power and drama of volcanoes have terrified those who lived in their vicinity and fascinated those from afar. This book sets these impressive phenomena in their world context and explains their formations and effects, focusing especially on the many styles of eruptions and the multitude of volcanic landscape forms that result. Lava flows, cinder cones, domes, and calderas are all discussed, along with hycrovolcanic features, stratovolcanoes, and volcanic islands. Examples and illustrations from around the world and throughout time--from Vesuvius' eruption in A.D. 79 to Pinatubo's in June, 1991--provide an overview of all aspects of volcanic processes. The author includes various eyewitness accounts of volcanic events and illustrates his scientific points with photographs and line drawings. A final chapter examines the latest methods of predicting volcanic eruptions and moderating their effects. Volcanoes is an unusually accessible introduction to a perennially fascinating subject.