Volcanoes of the world / Вулканы мира

Few geologic processes both capture the popular imagination and fuel scientists' quest for knowledge about our planet more than active volcanism. Volcanoes span an enormous spectrum: from topographically inconspicuous fissures to majestic peaks and from mild steaming to terrifying paroxysms. To understand volcanism, essential to either avoid its dangers or to utilize its resources, we must document its full breadth. Volcanology, more than most disciplines, depends upon history. The range of behavior is extremely broad, and the intervals between events can be long enough that it is essential to mine the contemporary and historical records to understand the dynamic aspects that are difficult or impossible to obtain for prehistoric eruptions. Well-documented examples from the past can be enormously helpful in interpreting a current volcanic crisis, and understanding the processes of the present is a long-established geological key for unlocking secrets of the past. <...>