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Volcanic Environments

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definition

Environments that are affected either negatively or positively by volcanic processes.

Introduction

During the Holocene (i.e., last 10,000 years), some 500 subaerial volcanoes have been active yet they occur in narrow bands that comprise less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, being associated with divergent and convergent plate boundaries and intraplate “hot spots” such the Hawaiian islands (Tilling 2005). The higher the population density and the greater the level of economic development, the more severe will losses be in the event of an eruption . The interface between people and volcanoes also gives rise to resources of minerals, geothermal power, and potentially fertile soils, and it is these points of negative and positive interaction between volcanic processes and human activity that define areas in which there is a valuable role for the engineering geologist.

The Generation and Ascent of Magma

Volcanoes occur where magma...

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Correspondence to David K. Chester .

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© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

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Chester, D.K., Duncan, A.M. (2018). Volcanic Environments. In: Bobrowsky, P., Marker, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Engineering Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12127-7_292-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12127-7_292-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12127-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-12127-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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