Global Volcanic Hazards and Risk

Description

Originally prepared for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, this is the first comprehensive assessment of global volcanic hazards and risk, presenting the state of the art in our understanding of global volcanic activity. It examines our assessment and management capabilities, and considers the preparedness of the global scientific community and government agencies to manage volcanic hazards and risk. Particular attention is paid to volcanic ash, the most frequent and wide-ranging volcanic hazard. Of interest to government officials, the private sector, students and researchers, this book is a key resource for the disaster risk reduction community and for those interested in volcanology and natural hazards. A non-technical summary is included for policy makers. Regional volcanic hazard profiles, with invaluable information on volcanic hazards and risk at the local, national and global scale, are provided online. This title is available as an Open Access eBook via Cambridge Books Online.

Dr Susan Loughlin is the Head of Volcanology at the British Geological Survey (BGS) and joint leader of the Global Volcano Model (GVM). Her research interests include volcanic processes, hazards and risk, communication, social and environmental impacts of eruptions and the interaction of scientists and decision makers. Dr Loughlin spent several years at Montserrat Volcano Observatory and was Director for two years. She has provided advice to governments and communities during volcanic unrest and eruptions (e.g. Montserrat and Iceland/UK) and provided scientific evidence for longer-term planning. Professor Steve Sparks is a volcanologist at the University of Bristol and joint leader of the Global Volcano Model (GVM). With expertise in many aspects of volcanology, he is the most highly cited scientist in this field. His interests include volcanic hazards and risk, the physics of volcanic eruptions and fluid dynamics of hazardous flows. Professor Sparks has provided advice to governments during ongoing and developing volcanic emergencies in Montserrat and Iceland. Dr Sarah Brown is a researcher in volcanology at the University of Bristol. Her interests lie in physical volcanology with an emphasis on the assessment of hazard and risk. Dr Brown works on combining and developing volcanological datasets including the Large Magnitude Explosive Volcanic Eruptions database (LaMEVE) to investigate the global eruption record with an aim towards developing a better understanding of volcanic risk. Dr Susanna Jenkins is a volcanologist at the University of Bristol. Her research focuses on the assessment of hazards and risks associated with explosive volcanism. Dr Jenkins has worked with research, government and civil protection agencies, particularly in south-east Asia and the Lesser Antilles, in quantifying the risk from future eruptions and assessing the impact of recent damaging eruptions. Dr Charlotte Vye-Brown is a volcanologist at the British Geological Survey. She applies a multidisciplinary approach of field studies, geochemistry and remote sensing to her research. Her interests include volcanic geology, formation of continental flood basalts, lava flow emplacement, rift volcanism and communication of science to support planning and response to volcanic activity.

'Global Volcanic Hazards and Risks is an excellent state-of-the-art summary of the knowledge and practice of volcanic risk. It is also a call to action: it clearly reminds us that there is still a huge amount of work to be done in understanding the hazards and risks of the world's active volcanoes. ... The book is very accessibly written and could easily serve as a text for undergraduate and graduate classes in volcanology and volcanic hazards; the latter particularly benefiting from the compiled databases, the range of methods in the case studies and the cited literature. This book is a key resource for those interested in volcanology and natural hazards as well as for the disaster risk reduction community, policy makers, and the generally interested reader.' Shan de Silva, Elements 'This volume is the first 'comprehensive assessment' of worldwide knowledge about the hazards and risks associated with active and dormant volcanoes. It is a massive collaborative effort by the international volcanological community (over 130 scientists from 86 organizations in approximately 50 countries) for the primary purpose of preparing for environmental disasters and saving lives. Currently, essential information about more than 80 percent of the world's active volcanoes is lacking, and more than a billion lives are in direct danger ... The importance of this encyclopedic book for all workers in volcanic regions cannot be overestimated.' T. L. T. Grose, Choice 'With some exceptions, this largely descriptive text appears to be aimed at a non-technical audience, and thus provides a thorough grounding on the essential topics related to estimating volcanic risk. ... The most salient point of the book is the numerous case studies of volcanic hazards and risk management strategies, which present an invaluable framework for policy makers and those wishing to understand the decision-making process. ... In addition to providing a detailed analytical framework for volcanic hazards, this book also contains many useful tables and figures of data, which are clearly presented and well organized. ... The wealth of figures and diagrams, and the general lack of confusing technical jargon make this a highly accessible text to those without a geological background, while also providing helpful and practical insights to those who already understand the basics.' Claire L. Cooper, American Mineralogist