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Reviews |
Despite the spectacular nature of volcanism, constantly refreshed in the media by ongoing eruptive activity such as that now occurring at Mount St. Helens, and the direct and profound relevance of volcanic processes to the Economic Geology community, it is surprisingly difficult to direct a newcomer or student to references that set out the scope of volcanism and its impact. There is a plethora of stylish pictorial books for the coffee table, and a burgeoning (if not intimidating) volume of specialist technical literature, but few books exist that reveal the visual spectacle of volcanism and yet are quantitative in nature and allow easy access into the literature. This volume represents a one-man attempt to provide such a book. It presents an English translation (by the author) of two previous German-language editions of the book Vulkanismus, which followed the same structure, but were shorter and less widely distributed.
The book consists of 15 chapters. Following an introduction, there are three chapters covering generalities—(1) plate tectonics, (2) magma, and (3) rheology, magmatic gases, bubbles, and triggering of eruptions; four chapters on volcano settings following the familiar plate-tectonic groupings—(1) mid-ocean ridges, (2) seamounts and volcanic islands, (3) continental intraplate volcanoes, and (4) subduction zone volcanoes; one chapter on volcanic edifices and deposits; three on eruptive processes—(1) Strombolian, Hawaiian, and Plinian eruptions and the Mount St. Helens eruption 1980; (2) pyroclastic flows, block and ash flows, surges, and the Laacher See eruption; and (3) fire and water; and a final three on the "social" aspects of volcanism—(1) volcanic hazards, volcanic catastrophes, and disaster mitigation, (2) volcanoes and climate, and (3) man and volcanoes—the benefits. The last section of the book includes a list of units and abbreviations, a glossary, a list of references, and three indices (subject, name, geographic).
The book succeeds for the most part on the generalized level of providing a bridge between the technical and popular literature on volcanoes, and as such can be recommended. Its only serious rival in this area is the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes (H. Sigurdsson et al., eds., Academic Press, San Diego, 2000), which is much more comprehensive and evenly balanced in its coverage, but is of sufficient bulk to be difficult to read without a supporting table. The strengths of the Schmincke volume lie in its overall coverage of volcanic topics, readability, and in the large number of almost entirely excellent-quality photographs and diagrams that make it an easy book to dip into. Its weaknesses are in its somewhat partisan approach, some infelicities in the language, and, in particular, in the presence of numerous typographic and factual errors that could and should have been picked up at the review or editorial stages. Reader, beware!
Readers of Economic Geology looking for an introduction to or discussion of the relationships between volcanism and economic mineralization will not find much information here (although more than in the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes). Other sources, such as the SEG Special Publications series, serve much more for that purpose. However, as an entry-level text for a generalized, nonspecialist readership to start delving into the complexities and wonders of volcanoes and their products, this book sets a benchmark.
Colin Wilson
Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences
PO Box 30368
Lower Hutt 6315
New Zealand
December 6, 2004
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