Volcanoes: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

Throughout our planet's history volcanoes have played a large role in shaping landscapes, the climate, and biological evolution. This book explains the fundamental mechanisms of volcanism, considering why volcanoes are essential for life on Earth, and how they interact with the Earth's other physical processes, and with human society.

Mike Branney is a Professor of Volcanology at the University of Leicester, and jazz pianist. He investigates explosive super-eruptions, how volcanic ash is transported across the Earth surface, and how volcanoes collapse catastrophically, and has published many key papers on these topics. He works in Korea, Mexico, Phillippines, the UK, Canary Islands, Italy, and the USA.

Jan Zalasiewicz is a Professor at the University of Leicester, and before that worked at the British Geological Survey. A field geologist, palaeontologist and stratigrapher, he teaches various aspects of geology and Earth history to undergraduate and postgraduate students, and is a researcher into fossil ecosystems and environments across over half a billion years of geological time. He has published over a hundred papers in scientific journals, and has written and edited several books, including The Planet in a Pebble: a journey into Earth's deep history (2012), Rocks: A Very Short Introduction (2016), and Geology: A Very Short Introduction (2018).