Volcanoes: A Very Short Introduction

Volcanoes are dramatic expressions of tectonic forces, but volcanism is an indispensable heat release mechanism on Earth. It releases gases into the atmosphere, produces enormous volumes of rock, and produces spectacular landscapes. It has shaped climate and biological evolution and can affect human life. This Very Short Introduction takes readers into the inferno of a racing pyroclastic current and the heart of a moving lava flow.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 26 November 2020
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Volcanoes are some of the most dramatic expressions of the powerful tectonic forces at work in the Earth beneath our feet. But volcanism, a profoundly important feature of Earth, and indeed of other planets and moons too, encompasses much more than just volcanoes themselves. On a planetary scale, volcanism is an indispensable heat release mechanism, which on Earth allows the conditions for life. It releases gases into the atmosphere and produces enormous volumes of rock, and spectacular landscapes - landscapes which, during major eruptions, can be completely reshaped in a matter of hours. Through geological time, volcanism has shaped both climate and biological evolution, and volcanoes can affect human life, too, for both good and ill. Yet, even after much study, some of the fundamental aspects of volcanicity remain mysterious. This Very Short Introduction takes the readers into the inferno of a racing pyroclastic current, and the heart of a moving lava flow, as understood through the latest scientific research. Exploring how volcanologists forensically decipher how volcanoes work, Michael Branney and Jan Zalasiewicz explain what we do (and don't) understood about the fundamental mechanisms of volcanism, and consider how volcanoes interact with other physical processes on the Earth, with life, and with human society. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Weight: 144g
Dimension: 112 x 173 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780199582204