Volcano Instability on the Earth And Other Planets

by Bill McGuire, W.C. McGuire

A study which reveals active volcanoes to be dynamically evolving structures, the growth and development of which are punctuated by episodes of instability and subsequent structural failure. Edifice failure and consequent debris avalanche formation appears to occur, on average, at least four times a century, and similar behaviour is known to have occured at volcanoes on Mars and Venus. The book claims that hazard-mitigation strategies must now address the possibility of future collapse events which may be ten-times greater than that at Mount St Helens in 1980.

388 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Bill McGuire is an academic, broadcaster, activist and Amazon UK Top 100 popular science and speculative fiction writer. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at University College London, a co-director of the New Weather Institute, a patron of Scientists for Global Responsibility, a member of the scientific advisory board of Scientists Warning and special scientific advisor to WordForest.org.

His books include: A Guide to the End of the World: Everything you Never Wanted to Know; Surviving Armageddon: Solutions for a Threatened Planet; and Seven Years to Save the Planet. His current non-fiction book is Waking the Giant: How a Changing Climate Triggers Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Volcanoes; ranked at number five in The Guardian's Top 10 'eco' books. His debut novel, Skyseed – an eco-thriller about climate engineering gone wrong – is published by The Book Guild.