The Azores archipelago consists of nine islands that emerge from the Azores Plateau in the Central Northern Atlantic, situated within the triple junction of the American, Eurasian and African lithosphere plates. Subaerial volcanic activity has been well known since the Pliocene and continues today, with several well-documented eruptions since the settlement of the islands in the fifteenth century. The origin of the Azores Plateau has been a matter of scientific debate and thus this book provides the first comprehensive overview of geological features in the Azores from volcanological, geochemical, petrological, paleontological, structural and hydrological perspectives
The Azores archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean is composed of nine volcanic islands and São Miguel is the largest and most volcanically active. During the past 5000 years several eruptions have taken place on the three active central volcanoes – Sete Cidades, Fogo and Furnas – and in the basaltic fissure systems of Picos and Congro. There is evidence that Furnas was in eruption when the first settlers arrived some time between 1439 and 1443. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries there were two explosive sub-Plinian eruptions, Fogo in 1563 and Furnas in 1630. The last eruption on land occurred in the Picos Fissural Volcanic System in 1652, involving the extrusion of lava domes. In 22 chapters, this volume considers the volcanic geology of the island under the headings of geological setting, volcanic history, geological hazards and risk assessment, volcano monitoring and natural resources.
This volume examines the impact of and responses to historic earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Azores. Study is placed in the contexts of: the history and geography of this fascinating archipelago; progress being made in predicting future events and policies of disaster risk reduction. This is the only volume to consider the earthquake and volcanic histories of the Azores across the whole archipelago and is based, not only on contemporary published research, but also on the detailed study of archival source materials. The authors seek to show how extreme environmental events, as expressed through eruptions, earthquakes and related processes operating in the past may be considered using both complementary scientific and social scientific perspectives in order to reveal the ways in which Azorean society has been shaped by both an isolated location in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and the ever present threat of environmental uncertainty. Chapter 2, which analyses in depth the geology and tectonics of the islands is of more specialist interest, but technical terms are fully explained so as to widen the accessibility of this material. The audience for this volume includes all those who are interested in the geology, geography, history and hazard responses in the Azores. It is written, not just for the educated general reader, but for the specialist earth scientist and hazard researcher.
The volcanoes of Europe offer dramatic landscapes, intriguing geological and geographical characteristics, and compelling histories of their interaction with those who have chosen to live on and near them. This new colour illustrated edition presents a wealth of up-to-date material in a comprehensive and thoroughly researched introduction.
Ocean island volcanoes constitute some of the most prominent and rapidly-formed features on Earth, and yet they cannot be explained by conventional plate tectonics. Although typically associated with intraplate settings (hotspots), these volcanoes also occur in different geodynamic settings (near mid-ocean ridges). The nature of ocean island magmatism is still the subject of intense debate within the geological community. Traditionally it has been linked to the presence of mantle plumes at depth (e.g. Hawaii), although the interaction with plate tectonics is also recognized to play a significant role (e.g. Azores, Galápagos). Magma compositions may range from basaltic to more differentiated, which consequently is accompanied by striking changes in the eruption style from effusive-dominated to highly explosive volcanism. Understanding how these magmas evolve and how volcanic processes act at ocean island volcanoes are key issues of modern volcanology. Moreover, the growth of ocean island volcanoes from their rise on the seafloor as seamounts, to island emergence and subsequent formation of shield volcanoes (and in some cases large caldera volcanoes) is governed by multiple interrelated changes. It is well known that competing processes model ocean island volcanoes during alternating and/or coeval periods of construction and destruction. The geological evolution of these volcanoes results from the balance among volcanism, intrusions, tectonics, subsidence/uplift, mass wasting, sedimentation, and subaerial and wave erosion. A better knowledge of the interplay between these processes is crucial to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the evolution of such volcanoes, and to the eventual formulation of a unified model for ocean island evolution. Ocean islands are especially vulnerable to volcanic eruptions and other geological hazards on account of their typical small size, rough topography and isolation, which make risk management and evacuation difficult. Volcanic eruptions, in particular, may have a significant impact on local populations, infrastructures, economy and even on the global climate. It is therefore fundamental to monitor these volcanoes with complementary geophysical, geodetic and geochemical techniques in order to forecast future eruptions and their impacts. However, the assessment of volcanic hazards on ocean islands is challenging due to the large variety of phenomena involved (e.g. lava flows, tephra fallout, pyroclastic density currents, lahars, gas emissions). Different approaches are used to assess volcanic hazards, either based on empirical methods or sophisticated numerical models, focusing on a single phenomenon or the combination of different hazards. This Frontiers Research Topic aims to promote discussion within the scientific community, representing an important step forward in our knowledge of ocean island volcanoes in order to serve as a reference for future research.
This book aims to give an overview on the present state of volcanic lake research, covering topics such as volcano monitoring, the chemistry, dynamics and degassing of acidic crater lakes, mass-energy-chemical-isotopic balance approaches, limnology and degassing of Nyos-type lakes, the impact on the human and natural environment, the eruption products and impact of crater lake breaching eruptions, numerical modeling of gas clouds and lake eruptions, thermo-hydro-mechanical and deformation modeling, CO2 fluxes from lakes, volcanic lakes observed from space, biological activity, continuous monitoring techniques, and some aspects more. We hope to offer an updated manual on volcanic lake research, providing classic research methods, and point towards a more high-tech approach of future volcanic lake research and continuous monitoring.
This comprehensive book addresses the pressing need for up-to-date literature on volcanic destinations (active and dormant) and their role in tourism worldwide in chapters and case studies. The book presents a balanced view about the volcano-based tourism sector worldwide and discusses important issues such as the different volcanic hazards, potential for disasters and accidents and safety recommendations for visitors. Individual chapters and case studies are contributed by a number of internationally based co-authors, with expertise in geology, risk management, environmental science and other relevant disciplines associated with volcanoes. Also covered are risk aspects of volcano tourism such as risk perception, risk management and public safety in volcanic environments. Discussions of the demand for volcano tourism, including geotourism and adventure tourism as well as some historical facts related to volcanoes, with case studies of interesting socio-cultural settings are included.
A comprehensive picture of the architecture of crustal magmatic systems The composition of igneous rocks – their minerals, melts, and fluids – reveals the physical and chemical conditions under which magmas form, evolve, interact, and move from the Earth’s mantle through the crust. These magma dynamics affect processes on the surface including crustal growth and eruptive behaviour of volcanoes. Crustal Magmatic System Evolution: Anatomy, Architecture, and Physico-Chemical Processes uses analytical, experimental, and numerical approaches to explore the diversity of crustal processes from magma differentiation and assimilation to eruption at the surface. Volume highlights include: Physical and chemical parameterization of crustal magmatic systems Experimental, theoretical and modelling approaches targeting crustal magmatic processes Timescales of crustal magmatic processes, including storage, recharge, and ascent through volcanic conduits The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals. Find out more about this book in a Q&A with the Editors.
Accompanying CD-ROM, entitled Supplementary materials to Stratigraphy and geology of volcanic areas, includes three geologic maps in Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
