In the early 1950s microseisms, with characteristic amplitudes of several micro meters, were considered insignificant relative to powerful destructive earthquakes. They were understood to be noise, as natural fluctuations, not carrying any in formation and distorting recordings on seismograms. Intensive investigations over subsequent decades have shown, however, that microseisins are only a single facet of a huge complex of phenomena comprising cyclone movement over oceans, sea roughness, infrasound, geomagnetic micropulsations, terrestial of these phenomena proved to be confined in time currents, etc. The source and space, whereas their effects propagated over global distances. This could be interpreted as a case of natural "remote sensing." It should be mentioned that all of the evidence gathered in the last few decades supports the theory of M. S. Longuet-Higgins published in 1950. The author has been engaged in problems of microseisms since 1955 and is deeply convinced that these phenomena are not only of theoretical interest but may also find practical application in meteorology, oceanology, navigation and other areas. She hopes. that this book will stimulate further research as well as new approaches to practical problems."

In December 2016, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved their iconic "Doomsday Clock" thirty seconds forward to two and a half minutes to midnight, the latest it has been set since 1952, the year of the first United States hydrogen bomb test. But a group of scientists-geologists, engineers, and physicists-has been fighting to turn back the clock. Since the dawn of the Cold War, they have advocated a halt to nuclear testing, their work culminating in the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which still awaits ratification from China, Iran, North Korea-and the United States. The backbone of the treaty is every nation's ability to independently monitor the nuclear activity of the others. The noted seismologist Lynn R. Sykes, one of the central figures in the development of the science and technology used in monitoring, has dedicated his career to halting nuclear testing. In Silencing the Bomb, he tells the inside story behind scientists' quest for disarmament. Called upon time and again to testify before Congress and to inform the public, Sykes and his colleagues were, for much of the Cold War, among the only people on earth able to say with certainty when and where a bomb was tested and how large it was. Methods of measuring earthquakes, researchers realized, could also detect underground nuclear explosions. When politicians on both sides of the Iron Curtain attempted to sidestep disarmament or test ban treaties, Sykes was able to deploy the nascent science of plate tectonics to reveal the truth. Seismologists' discoveries helped bring about treaties limiting nuclear testing, but it was their activism that played a key role in the quest for peace. Full of intrigue, international politics, and hard science used for the global good, Silencing the Bomb is a timely and necessary chronicle of one scientist's efforts to keep the clock from striking midnight.

La Reunion is an oceanic intra-plate volcanic island located at the southern-most part 0 of the Mascarene Basin at 21 0 07' S, 55 32' E (Figure 1). It lies south of the Mascarene Plateau and Mauritius Island but is a distinct topographic feature on the rather flat ocean bottom of the Mascarene Basin, whose age is paleocene in the vicinity of the island (Schlich, 1982), and whose lowest point is more than 4000m deep. La Reunion is ellip tical in shape (50 X 70 km) with a NW-SE elongation. It is composed of two volcanoes: Piton des Neiges and Piton de la Fournaise. A third volcanic structure has been recent ly discovered on the east submarine flank of the island (Unat et aI., submitted). Piton des Neiges, a dormant and deeply eroded volcano, rises to a height of 3069 m and oc cupies the northwestern two-thirds of the island. Piton de la Fournaise (2630 m), one of the most active basaltic volcanoes in the world, began to grow more than 3. 5 X 1O years ago on the southeast flank of Piton des Neiges. The evolution of Piton de la Fournaise (Chevallier and Bachclery, 1981) is marked by the formation of three sub-concentric nested calderas (Figure 2). The boundaries of the two older calderas are more or less buried or eroded."

Methods to eonstruet images of an objeet from "projeetions" of x-rays, ultrasound or eleetromagnetie waves have found wide applieations in eleetron mieroseopy, diagnostie medicine and radio astronomy. Projeetions are measurable quantities that are a funetiona- usually involving a line integral - of physieal properties of an objeet. Convolutional methods, or iterative algorithms to solve large systems of linear equations are used to reeonstruet the objeet. In prineiple, there is no reasan why similar image reeonstruetions ean not be made with seismie waves. In praetiee, seismic tomography meets with a number of diffieulties, and it is not until the last deeade that imaging of transmitted seismie waves has found applicatian in the Earth sciences. The most important differenee between global seismie tomography and mare eonventional applieations in the laboratory is the faet that the seismologist is eonfronted with the lack of anything resembling a well-eontrolled experimental set-up. Apart from a few nuelear tests, it is not in our power to locate or time seismie events. Apart from a few seabattom seismographs, our sensors are located on land -and even there the availability of data depends on eultural and politieal factors. Even in exploratian seismics, praetieal faetors such as the east of an experiment put strong limitations on the eompleteness of the data set.

This book presents an in-depth ethnographic case study carried out in the years following the 2010 Haiti earthquake to present the role of faith beliefs in disaster response. The earthquake is one of the most destructive on record, and the aftermath, including a cholera epidemic and ongoing humanitarian aid, has continued for years following the catastrophe. Based on dozens of interviews, this book gives primacy to survivors' narratives. It begins by laying out the Haitian context, before presenting an account of the earthquake from survivors' perspectives. It then explores in detail how the earthquake affected the religious, mainly Christian, faith of survivors and how religious faith influenced how they responded to, and are recovering from, the experience. The account is also informed by geoscience and the accompanying "complicating factors." Finally, the Haitian experience highlights the significant role that religious faith can play alongside other learned coping strategies in disaster response and recovery globally. This book contributes an important case study to an emerging literature in which the influence of both religion and narrative is being recognised. It will be of interest to scholars of any discipline concerned with disaster response, including practical theology, anthropology, psychology, geography, Caribbean studies and earth science. It will also provide a resource for non-governmental organisations.

With the growth of modern computing power it has become possible to apply far more mathematics to real problems. This has led to the difficulty that many people who have been working in various jobs suddenly find themselves not understanding the modern processing which is being applied to their own professional field. It also means that the people presently being trained in these subjects need to understand a much wider range of mathe matics than in the past. It is to both of these groups that this book is addressed. The major objective is to present the reader with the basic mathematical understanding to follow the new developments in their own field. The mathematics in this book is based on the need to understand signal process ing. The modern work in this area is mathematically very sophisticated and our purpose is not to train professional mathematicians but to make far more of the literature accessible. Since this book is based on courses devised for Racal Geophysics there is clearly going to be a bias towards the applications in that area, as the title implies. It is also true that the bibliogra phy has been chosen in order to aid the reader in that field by pointing them in the direction of recent applications in geophysics."

Seismology in the sense of earthquake research is no longer exclusively a matter of earthquake recording and the analysis of seismograms. The tremendous progress in earth- quake dynamic research, the development of sophisticated technologies, the advent of the space age, and the call for reduction of the earthquake hazards and for disaster pre- vention programs have spurred interdisciplinary research to discover the earthquake generating processes. The progress in observing the physical phenomena of earthquake generating processes and the identification of earthquake precursors among these phe nomena have placed research on the field of predicting earthquakes on the solid basis of exact earth sciences. The measurement of the phenomena of slow-motion dynamics such as the move- ment of tectonic plates, the accumulation of strain, displacements observed in fault zones, and the temporal variations of physical rock properties fall into the domain of geodesists and geophysicists rather than seismologists. However, seismology in the broadest interpretation of earthquake research requires all observable phenomena of slow-motion dynamics in order to constrain models of focal mechanism and to penetrate deeper into earthquake source physics. Interdisciplinary research is on the way to open us new dimensions in earthquake and earthquake predic- tion research.

Seismic data must be interpreted using digital signal processing techniques in order to create accurate representations of petroleum reservoirs and the interior structure of the Earth. This book provides an advanced overview of digital signal processing (DSP) and its applications to exploration seismology using real-world examples. The book begins by introducing seismic theory, describing how to identify seismic events in terms of signals and noise, and how to convert seismic data into the language of DSP. Deterministic DSP is then covered, together with non-conventional sampling techniques. The final part covers statistical seismic signal processing via Wiener optimum filtering, deconvolution, linear-prediction filtering and seismic wavelet processing. With over sixty end-of-chapter exercises, seismic data sets and data processing MATLAB codes included, this is an ideal resource for electrical engineering students unfamiliar with seismic data, and for Earth Scientists and petroleum professionals interested in DSP techniques.

Introducing Tectonics, Rock Structures and Mountain Belts is written to explain the key concepts of tectonics and rock structures to students and to the interested non-specialist, especially those without a strong mathematical background. The study and understanding of geological structures has traditionally been guided by the rigorous application of mathematics and physics but, in this book, Graham Park has avoided mathematical equations altogether and has reduced the geometry to the minimum necessary. The application of plate tectonic theory has revolutionised structural geology by giving the study of rock structures a context in which they can be explained. Since the large-scale movements of the plates ultimately control smaller-scale structures, the study of tectonics is the key to understanding the latter. The reader is thus introduced to large-scale Earth structure and the theory of plate tectonics before dealing with geological structures such as faults and folds. Studies by structural geologists of the movement history of rock masses relative to each other, as revealed by the study of fault systems and shear zones, has helped to integrate rock structures with plate tectonics and this has been emphasised in the book. One of the most exciting aspects of geology is the study of the great mountain ranges, orogenic belts. The final three chapters of the book explain how knowledge of plate tectonic theory, geological structures and the processes of deformation may be employed to understand these orogenic belts. hilst excessive use of terminology is avoided, all technical terms are in a Glossary and, as with all books in this series, the text is illustrated profusely.

Neotectonics involves the study of the motions and deformations of the Earth's crust that are current or recent in geologic time. The Mediterranean region is one of the most important regions for neotectonics and related natural hazards. This volume focuses on the neotectonics of the Eastern Mediterranean region, which has experienced many major extensive earthquakes, including the devastating Izmit, Turkey earthquake on August 17, 1999. The event lasted for 37 seconds, killing around 17,000 people, injuring 44,000 people, and leaving approximately half a million people homeless. Since then, several North American, European, and Turkish research groups have studied the neotectonics and earthquake potential of the region using different geological and geophysical methods, including GPS studies, geodesy, and passive source seismology. Some results from their studies were presented in major North American and European geological meetings. This volume highlights the work involving the Eastern Mediterranean region, which has one of the world's longest and best studied active strike-slip (horizontal motion) faults: the east-west trending North Anatolian fault zone, which is very similar to the San Andreas fault in California. This volume features discussions of: Widespread applications in measuring plate motion that have strong implications in predicting natural disasters like earthquakes, both on a regional and a global scale Recent motions, particularly those produced by earthquakes, that provide insights on the physics of earthquake recurrence, the growth of mountains, orogenic movements, and seismic hazards Unique methodical approaches in collecting tectonophysical data, including field, seismic, experimental, computer-based, and theoretical approaches. Active Global Seismology is a valuable resource for geoscientists, particularly in the field of tectonophysics, geophysics, geodynamics, seismology, structural geology, environmental geology, and geoengineering. Read an interview with the editors to find out more: https: //eos.org/editors-vox/neotectonics-and-earthquake-forecasting

A thrilling journey to the planet's most extreme places with volcanologist and filmmaker Professor Clive Oppenheimer, revealing how volcanoes have shaped us and our planet.

Volcanoes mean so much more than threat and calamity. Like our parents, they've led whole lives before we get to know them.

We are made of the same stuff as the breath and cinders of volcanoes. They have long shaped the path of humanity, provoked pioneering explorations and fired up our imaginations. They are fertile ground for agriculture, art and spirituality, as well as scientific advances, and they act as time capsules, capturing the footprints of those who came before us.

World-renowned volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer has worked at the crater's edge in the wildest places on Earth, from remote peaks in the Sahara to mystical mountains in North Korea. His work reveals just how entangled volcanic activity is with our climate, economy, politics, culture and beliefs. From Antarctica to Italy, he paints volcanoes as otherworldly, magical places where our history is laid bare and where nature speaks to something deep within us.

Blending cultural history, science, myth and adventure, Mountains of Fire reminds us that, wherever we are on the planet, our stories are profoundly intertwined with volcanoes.

Deep earthquakes (earthquakes with origins deeper than 60 km) are of scientific importance and account for approximately one-quarter of all earthquakes. They are occasionally very large and damaging yet provide much of the data that constrain our knowledge of Earth structure and dynamics. This book opens with an explanation of what deep earthquakes are, their significance to science and how they were first discovered. Later chapters provide a description of deep earthquake distribution and clustering in both time and space; a review of observations about source properties; and a discussion of theories for the origin of deep earthquakes. The book concludes with a comprehensive literature review of terrestrial and lunar deep seismicity. Deep Earthquakes presents a comprehensive, topical, historical, and geographical summary of deep earthquakes and related phenomena. It will be of considerable interest to researchers and graduate students in the fields of earthquake seismology and deep Earth structure.

This book represents a significant contribution to the area of earthquake data processing and to the development of region-specific magnitude correlations to create an up-to-date homogeneous earthquake catalogue that is uniform in magnitude scale. The book discusses seismicity analysis and estimation of seismicity parameters of a region at both finer and broader levels using different methodologies. The delineation and characterization of regional seismic source zones which requires reasonable observation and engineering judgement is another subject covered. Considering the complex seismotectonic composition of a region, use of numerous methodologies (DSHA and PSHA) in analyzing the seismic hazard using appropriate instruments such as the logic tree will be elaborated to explicitly account for epistemic uncertainties considering alternative models (for Source model, Mmax estimation and Ground motion prediction equations) to estimate the PGA value at bedrock level. Further, VS30 characterization based on the topographic gradient, to facilitate the development of surface level PGA maps using appropriate amplification factors, is discussed. Evaluation of probabilistic liquefaction potential is also explained in the book. Necessary backgrounds and contexts of the aforementioned topics are elaborated through a case study specific to India which features spatiotemporally varied and complex tectonics. The methodology and outcomes presented in this book will be beneficial to practising engineers and researchers working in the fields of seismology and geotechnical engineering in particular and to society in general.

Earthquake occurrence modeling is a rapidly developing research area. This book deals with its critical issues, ranging from theoretical advances to practical applications. The introductory chapter outlines state-of-the-art earthquake modeling approaches based on stochastic models. Chapter 2 presents seismogenesis in association with the evolving stress field. Chapters 3 to 5 present earthquake occurrence modeling by means of hidden (semi-)Markov models and discuss associated characteristic measures and relative estimation aspects. Further comparisons, the most important results and our concluding remarks are provided in Chapters 6 and 7.

Deep time is the timescale of the geological events that have shaped our planet. Whilst so immense as to challenge human understanding, its evidence is nonetheless visible all around us. Through explanations of the latest research and over 200 fascinating images, Deep Time explores this evidence, from the visible layers in ancient rock to the hiss of static on the radio, and from fossilized shark's teeth to underwater forests. These relics of ancient epochs, many of which we can see and touch today, connect our present to the distant past and answer broader questions about our place in the timeline of the Earth. Charting 4.5 billion years of geological history, this is the story of our world, from its birth to the dawn of civilization.

This book is an introductory text to a range of numerical methods used today to simulate time-dependent processes in Earth science, physics, engineering, and many other fields. The physical problem of elastic wave propagation in 1D serves as a model system with which the various numerical methods are introduced and compared. The theoretical background is presented with substantial graphical material supporting the concepts. The results can be reproduced with the supplementary electronic material provided as python codes embedded in Jupyter notebooks. The book starts with a primer on the physics of elastic wave propagation, and a chapter on the fundamentals of parallel programming, computational grids, mesh generation, and hardware models. The core of the book is the presentation of numerical solutions of the wave equation with six different methods: 1) the finite-difference method; 2) the pseudospectral method (Fourier and Chebyshev); 3) the linear finite-element method; 4) the spectral-element method; 5) the finite-volume method; and 6) the discontinuous Galerkin method. Each chapter contains comprehension questions, theoretical, and programming exercises. The book closes with a discussion of domains of application and criteria for the choice of a specific numerical method, and the presentation of current challenges.

Over the past 150 years, people have flocked to the Pacific Northwest in increasing numbers, in part due to the region's beauty and one of its most exceptional features: volcanoes. This segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire has shaped not only the physical landscape of the region but also the psychological landscape, and with it the narratives we compose about ourselves. Exceptional Mountains is a cultural history of the Northwest volcanoes and the environmental impact of outdoor recreation in this region. It probes the relationship between these volcanoes and regional identity, particularly in the era of mass mountaineering and population growth in the Northwest. O. Alan Weltzien demonstrates how mountaineering is but one conspicuous example of the outdoor recreation industry's unrestricted and problematic growth. He explores the implications of our assumptions that there are no limits to our outdoor recreation habits and that access to the highest mountains should include amenities for affluent consumers. Each chapter probes the mountain-based regional ethos and the concomitant sense of privilege and entitlement from different vantages to illuminate the consumerist mind-set as a reductive-and deeply problematic-version of experience and identity in and around some of the nation's most striking mountains.

Every year that passes without a tsunami means that we're just that much closer to our next one. What can we do to ensure we're prepared when the next catastrophic tsunami strikes? The ferocious waves of a tsunami can travel across oceans at the speed of a jet airplane. They can kill families, destroy entire cultures, and even gut nations. To understand these beasts in our waters well enough to survive them, we must understand how they're created and learn from the past. In this book, tsunami specialists James Goff and Walter Dudley arm readers with everything they need to survive a tsunami - and maybe even avoid the next one. The book takes readers on a historical journey through some of the most devastating tsunamis in human history, some of the quirky ones, and even some that may not even be what most of us think of as tsunamis. Diving into personal and scientific stories of disasters,Tsunami pulls readers into the many ways these waves can be generated, ranging from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to explosions, landslides, and beyond. The book provides overviews of some of the great historical events - the 1755 Lisbon, 1946 Aleutian, 1960 Chile, and 2004 Indian Ocean tsunamis, but also some of the less well-known as well such as the 1958 Lituya Bay, 563 CE Lake Geneva, a 6,000 year old Papua New Guinean mystery, and even a 2.5 Million year old asteroid. This is not straight science, though. Each event is brought to life in a variety of ways through stories of survival, human folly, and echoes of past disasters etched in oral traditions and the environment. The book combines research from oceanography, biogeography, geology, history, archaeology and more, with data collected from over 400 survivor interviews. Alongside carefully selected images and the scientific measurements of these tsunamis, the book offers tales of survival, heroism, and tragic loss. Through a balanced combination of personal experience, the Earth's changing environment, tales of tragedy, and a recount of oral traditions, Tsunami allows readers to engage with a new scientific approach to these overwhelming waves. The resulting book unveils the science of disaster like never before.

Seismoelectric coupling and its current and potential future applications The seismoelectric method--the naturally-occurring coupling of seismic waves to electromagnetic fields--can provide insight into important properties of porous media. With a variety of potential environmental and engineering uses, as well as larger scale applications such as earthquake detection and oil and gas exploration, it offers a number of advantages over conventional geophysical methods. Seismoelectric Exploration: Theory, Experiments, and Applications explores the coupling between poroelastic and electromagnetic disturbances, discussing laboratory experiments, numerical modeling techniques, recent theoretical developments, and field studies. Volume highlights include: Physics of the seismoelectric effect at the microscale Governing equations describing coupled seismo-electromagnetic fields Examples of successful seismoelectric field experiments in different geological settings Current and potential applications of seismoelectric coupling Noise removal techniques for seismoelectric field measurements 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.

The study of volcano-ice interactions, or 'glaciovolcanism', is a field experiencing exponential growth. This comprehensive volume presents a discussion of the distinctive processes and characteristics of glaciovolcanic eruptions, their products, and landforms, with reference to both terrestrial and Mars occurrences. Supported by abundant diagrams and photos from the authors' extensive collections, this book outlines where eruptions have occurred and will occur in the future on Earth, the resulting hazards that are unique to volcano-ice interactions, and how the deposits are used to unravel planetary palaeoclimatic histories. It has a practical focus on lithofacies, glaciovolcanic edifice morphometry and construction, and applications to palaeoenvironmental studies. Providing the first global summary of past and current work, this book also identifies those areas in need of further research, making this an ideal reference for academic researchers and postgraduate students, in the fields of volcanology, glaciology, planetary science and palaeoenvironmental studies.

Over the years, the interactions between land, ocean, biosphere and atmosphere have increased, mainly due to population growth and anthropogenic activities, which have impacted the climate and weather conditions at local, regional and global scales. Thus, natural hazards related to climate changes have significantly impacted human life and health on different spatio-temporal scales and with socioeconomic bearings. To monitor and analyze natural hazards, satellite data have been widely used in recent years by many developed and developing countries. In an effort to better understand and characterize the various underlying processes influencing natural hazards, and to carry out related impact assessments, Natural Hazards: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Landslides, presents a synthesis of what leading scientists and other professionals know about the impacts and the challenges when coping with climate change. Combining reviews of theories and methods with analysis of case studies, the book gives readers research information and analyses on satellite geophysical data, radar imaging and integrated approaches. It focuses also on dust storms, coastal subsidence and remote sensing mapping. Some case studies explore the roles of remote sensing related to landslides and volcanoes. Overall, improved understanding of the processes leading to these hazardous events will help scientists predict their occurrence. Features Provides information on the physics and physical processes of natural hazards, their monitoring and the mapping of damages associated with these hazards Explains how natural hazards are strongly associated with coupling between land-ocean-atmosphere Includes a comprehensive overview of the role of remote sensing in natural hazards worldwide Examines risk assessment in urban areas through numerical modelling and geoinformation technologies Demonstrates how data analysis can be used to aid in prediction and management of natural hazards

Volcanoes are intimately tied to the history of humanity, they help forge the Earth's crust and atmosphere, and they are very much an active feature of today. The archaeology of most ancient civilizations of Europe preserves the imprint of spectacular and volcanic phenomena while, in modern times life is still affected by large eruptions from Europe's active volcanic systems. The eruption of Santorini, some 3600 years ago in the Aegean, probably inspired the Greek fables of Atlantis; the eruptions of Etna on Sicily are the origin of the forges of Cyclops and other myths; and the regular eruptions from Stromboli earned its Roman name, 'the Lighthouse of the Mediterranean'. Eruptions in Iceland over the past few centuries have shaped more recent European history and highlight the dramatic effects that distant large eruptions can have on our modern way of living. This thoroughly revised and updated edition reflects modern research and is now illustrated in colour throughout. It presents the volcanoes of Europe, as they are today and tells how they have shaped our past. The volcanic systems of the Mediterranean basin, the Atlantic, and of mainland Europe are introduced and described in clear prose with a minimum of technical jargon. Some of Europe's ancient volcanic systems is also described as these have been fundamental in shaping the science of volcanology. The origins, history and development of Europe's volcanoes is presented against a background of their environmental aspects and contemporary activity. Special attention is given to the impact of volcanoes on the people who live on or around them. The book is written for student, amateur and professional earth scientists alike. To help guide the reader, a glossary of volcanic terms is included together with a vocabulary of volcanic terms used in European languages.

Among all the numerical methods in seismology, the finite-difference (FD) technique provides the best balance of accuracy and computational efficiency. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to FD and its applications to earthquake motion. Using a systematic tutorial approach, the book requires only undergraduate degree-level mathematics and provides a user-friendly explanation of the relevant theory. It explains FD schemes for solving wave equations and elastodynamic equations of motion in heterogeneous media, and provides an introduction to the rheology of viscoelastic and elastoplastic media. It also presents an advanced FD time-domain method for efficient numerical simulations of earthquake ground motion in realistic complex models of local surface sedimentary structures. Accompanied by a suite of online resources to help put the theory into practice, this is a vital resource for professionals and academic researchers using numerical seismological techniques, and graduate students in earthquake seismology, computational and numerical modelling, and applied mathematics.

Our understanding of stars has grown significantly due to recent advances in asteroseismology, the stellar analog of helioseismology, the study of the Sun's acoustic wave oscillations. Using ground-based and satellite observatories to measure the frequency spectra of starlight, researchers are able to probe beneath a star's surface and map its interior structure. This volume provides a wide-ranging and up-to-date overview of the theoretical, experimental and analytical tools for carrying out front-line research in stellar physics using asteroseismological observations, tools and inferences. Chapters from seven eminent scientists in residence at the twenty-second Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics examine the interior of our Sun relative to data collected from distant stars, how to measure the fundamental parameters of single field stars, diffusion processes, and the effects of rotation on stellar structures. The volume also provides detailed treatments of modeling and computing programs, providing astronomers and graduate students a practical, methods-based guide.

What are the real risks posed by a volcanic eruption near a city - what is fact and what is myth? How have volcanic eruptions affected cities in the past, and how can we learn from these events? Why do communities continue to develop in such locations, despite the obvious threat? In this fascinating book, Grant Heiken explores global examples of cities at risk from volcanoes, from Italy, the US, Mexico, Ecuador, The Philippines, Japan and New Zealand, providing historical and contemporary eruption case studies to illustrate volcanic hazards, and cities' efforts to respond to them, both good and poor. He shows that truly successful volcanic hazard mitigation cannot be accomplished without collaboration between experts in geology and natural hazards, public health, medicine, city and infrastructure planning, and civil protection. This is a topical and engaging read for anyone interested in the history and future activity of these dangerous neighbors.