This volume provides a synopsis of current research on volcanic processes, as gained through the use of palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic techniques. Thermoremanent magnetization information provides a powerful means of deciphering thermal processes in volcanic deposits, including estimating the emplacement temperature of pyroclastic deposits, which allows us to understand better the rates of cooling during eruption and transport. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and anisotropy of remanence are used primarily to investigate rock fabrics and to quantify flow dynamics in dykes, lava flows, and pyroclastic deposits, as well as identify vent locations. Rock-magnetic characteristics allow correlation of volcanic deposits, but also provide means to date volcanic deposits and to understand better their cooling history. Because lava flows are typically good recorders of past magnetic fields, data from them allow understanding of changes in geomagnetic field directions and intensity, providing clues on the origin of Earth’s magnetic field.

The Geology of the Canary Islands provides a concise overview of the geology and volcanology of the Canary Islands, along with 27 carefully planned day excursions comprising trips on all of the islands. Each stop includes a description on how to approach a site and where to park with GPS locations provided. The book covers all the spectacular features of the islands, including active ocean island volcanoes whose origins are linked to a hot spot or plume causing anomalously hot mantle material to intrude the African plate, submarine volcanic sequences uplifted inside the islands, sub- aerial shield volcanoes, and the remains of giant lateral collapses. Through its clearly written and richly color-illustrated introduction and field guide, this book is essential reading for geologists who visit the Canary Islands, one of the largest and most fascinating active volcanic systems in Europe. - Includes a forward by Prof. C. J. Stillman (Trinity College Dublin), a leading expert on the volcanology and geology of the Canary Islands - Features 500 full color images, coupled with in-depth introductory text and a chapter on each island, followed by 27 guided excursions that include all of the seven islands of the archipelago - Familiarizes the reader with the variety of volcanic landforms and eruptive products in the Canary Islands and provides practical support in recognition, recording, and interpretation - Develops understanding of growth, evolution, and destruction of ocean island volcanoes, promoting temporal and spatial thinking within a given geological framework

Pliny and the Eruption of Vesuvius is a forensic examination of two of the most famous letters from the ancient Mediterranean world: Pliny the Younger’s Epistulae 6.16 and 6.20, which offer a contemporary account of the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79. These letters, sent to the historian Tacitus, provide accounts by Pliny the Younger about what happened when Mt Vesuvius exploded, destroying the surrounding towns and countryside, including Pompeii and Herculaneum, and killing his uncle, Pliny the Elder. This volume provides the first comprehensive full-length treatment of these documents, contextualized by evidence-rich biographies for both Plinys, and a synthesis of the latest archaeological and volcanological research which answers questions about the eruption date. A new collation of sources results in a detailed manuscript tradition and an authoritative Latin text, while commentaries on each letter offer copiously referenced insights on their structure, style, and meaning. Pliny and the Eruption of Vesuvius offers a thorough companion to these letters, and to the eruption, which will be of interest not only to those working on Vesuvius, Pompeii, and Herculaneum, and the works of Pliny but also to general readers, Latin students, and scholars of the Roman world more broadly.

Recent advances in environmental magnetism offer the opportunity to link the magnetic signature of marine and continental rocks to the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic settings that controlled their formation or deposition, as well as to post-depositional events, such as diagenesis, that can alter their primary signature. This Research Topic assembles studies that used state of the art rock magnetic techniques to unravel the causes and effects of catastrophic geological events, including tsunami, meteorite impacts, Archean oxygenation event, geomagnetic reversals, and global climate changes linked to large volcanic eruptions. Eric Font Alexandra Abrajevitch Fabio Florindo

This book analyzes the Early Cretaceous volcanic processes in Misiones Province and in Sierra Chica de Córdoba (Argentina). The volcanism in Misiones is tholeiitic and belongs to the Parana Magmatic Province (PMP), which extends throughout South America. In contrast, the volcanism in Córdoba is geographically restricted and of alkaline nature, representing a potassic locality peripheral to the PMP. To understand the causes of and geodynamic processes involved in these volcanisms, a new 40Ar /39Ar of 129.6 ± 1 Ma of a trachyte from Sierra Chica de Córdoba is presented. This dating points out that the volcanism in Sierra Chica de Córdoba slightly postdates PMP lavas. Moreover, complementary geochemical analyses from Misiones Province are presented and compared with those from the whole PMP in order to characterize its source

The nature and origin of the small-scale volcanic systems, generally referred to as 'monogenetic', have enjoyed an elevated level of interest during the past decade. There has been recognition that their ostensibly simple volcano types are a window into the nature of explosive volcanism, landscape evolution and the processes of magma generation in the Earth’s upper mantle. In the past few years, major conferences have offered specialized technical sessions dealing with monogenetic volcanism and there have been thematic conferences, such as the IAVCEI International Maar Conference series, which have provided a focus for discussion of volcanological and geochemical aspects of small-scale basaltic volcanism. Many new aspects of monogenetic volcanism have emerged and have clearly demonstrated that this volcanism can be very complex on a fine scale. This book is a collection of papers arising from two recent Maar Conferences (the fifth in Queretaro Mexico and the sixth in Changchun, China) and serves as a snapshot of current research on monogenetic volcanism.

Looking Into the Earth comprehensively describes the principles and applications of both 'global' and 'exploration' geophysics on all scales. It forms an introduction to geophysics suitable for those who do not necessarily intend to become professional geophysicists, including geologists, civil engineers, environmental scientists, and field archaeologists. The book is organised into two parts: Part 1 describes the geophysical methods, while Part 2 illustrates their use in a number of extended case histories. Mathematical and physical principles are introduced at an elementary level, and then developed as necessary. Student questions and exercises are included at the end of each chapter. The book is aimed primarily at introductory and intermediate university students taking courses in geology, earth science, environmental science, and engineering. It will also form an excellent introductory textbook in geophysics departments, and will help practising geologists, archaeologists and engineers understand what geophysics can offer their work.

Non-continental margins lack thick lavas that are generated as continental crust thins immediately prior to the onset of seafloor spreading. They may form up to 30 per cent of passive margins around the world. This volume contains papers examining an active margin, fossil margins that border present day oceans, and remnants of margins exposed today in the Alps. The papers present evidence across a range of scales, from individual mineral grains, through borelide cores and outcrop, to whole margins at the crustal scale.

Humans, over many millennia, have been intrigued with magnetism and continuously revealing its nature and association with other objects, both animate and inanimate. Started with reverence for its mystic power, the beautiful minds soon find the means to harness it. This book is an omnibus that helps one travel through time over many millennia until today while giving glimpses of human achievements in the Odyssey of human civilisation. This is a scientific essay. Nevertheless, it offers a range of flavours, such as the history of science, philosophy, social construct, the early scientific revolution, the impact of the Industrial Revolution, the growth of modern science, and discussion on scientific phenomena with no less scientific rigour, while remaining simple and intelligible. The book will be food for academic minds and a pleasant experience for general readers.