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Guide to the Encyclopedia The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes is a complete reference guide to this subject, including studies of the origin and transport of magma, of eruptions, and of effusive volcanism and explosive volcanism. Other sections of the work discuss extraterrestrial volcanism, volcano interactions, volcanic hazards, eruption response and mitigation, and economic and cultural aspects of volcanism. Each article in the Encyclopedia provides a scholarly overview of the selected topic to inform a broad spectrum of readers, from researchers to the interested general public. In order that you, the reader, will derive the maximum benefit from the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes, we have provided this Guide. It explains how the book is organized and how information can be located. Organization The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes consists of 82 individual articles arranged in a thematic manner; that is, the placement of a given article is based on its content and not on its alphabetical wording. Articles on related topics are placed together in sequence. Each article is a full-length treatment of the subject at hand. Thus the Encyclopedia's format will allow its readers to choose their own method for referring to the work. Those who wish specific information on limited topics can consult the A-to-Z Article Index (see p. ix) and then proceed to the desired topic from there. On the other hand, readers who wish to obtain a full overview of a larger subject can read the entire series of articles on this subject from beginning to end; e.g., Eruptions. In fact, one can even read the entire Encyclopedia in sequence, in the manner of a textbook (or a novel), to obtain the ideal view of the complete subject of volcanoes. Article Format Each article in the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes begins at the top of a right-hand page, so that it may be quickly located. The author's name and affiliation are displayed at the beginning of the article. The text of the article is organized according to a standard format, as follows:
Each article in the Encyclopedia begins with an outline that indicates the general content of the article. This outline serves two functions. First, it provides a brief preview of the text, so that the reader can get a sense of what is contained there without having to leaf through all the pages. Second, it serves to highlight important subtopics that will be discussed in the article. For example, the article "Volcanic Plumes" begins with the subtopic "Generation of Volcanic Plumes." The outline is intended as an overview and thus it lists only the major headings of the article. In addition, extensive second-level and third-level headings will be found within the article. Glossary The Glossary contains vocabulary terms that are important to an understanding of the article and that may be unfamiliar to the reader. Each term is defined in the context of the particular article in which it is used. Thus the same term may appear as a Glossary entry in two or more articles, with the details of the definition varying slightly from one article to another. The Encyclopedia includes approximately 500 glossary entries. The following examples are glossary entries that appear with the article "Flood Basalt Provinces." Hotspot An area in the Earth's upper mantle that is hotter than the ambient temperature. Picrite A volcanic rock with a large proportion of the magnesium-rich mineral olivine. Defining Statement The text of each article in the Encyclopedia begins with a single introductory paragraph that defines the topic under discussion and summarizes the content of the article. It thus serves the purpose of a brief abstract of the article. For example, the article "Pyroclastic Surges and Blasts" begins with the following defining statement: The recognition that volcanic explosions could produce density-driven currents that flow rapidly away from the vent, devastating the landscape and leaving thin pyroclastic deposits and ash dunes, was an important step towards our current understanding of volcanic systems. Deposits left by these pyroclastic surges are a key in interpreting the eruptive history of a volcano and in predicting the hazards a volcano might pose for the future. Cross-References Articles in the Encyclopedia contain references to other articles. These cross-references appear at the end of the text for the article. They indicate related articles that can be consulted for further information on the same topic, or for information on a related topic. For example, the article "History of Volcanology" has cross-references to "Archaeology and Volcanism," "Earth's Volcanoes and Eruptions: An Overview," "Mantle of the Earth," "Origin of Magmas," "Plate Tectonics and Volcanism," "Volcanoes in Art," and "Volcanoes in Literature and Film." Further Reading The Further Reading section appears as the last element in each article. This section lists other sources outside the Encyclopedia that will aid the reader in locating more information on the topic at hand. The entries in this section are for the benefit of the reader, to provide references for further research or browsing on the given topic. Thus they consist of a limited number of entries. They are not intended to represent a complete listing of all the materials consulted by the author or authors in preparing the article. The Further Reading section is in effect an extension of the article itself, and it represents the author's choice as to the best sources available for additional information. Index The Subject Index for the Encyclopedia of Volcanoes contains more than 3,800 entries, arranged alphabetically. Reference to the general coverage of a topic appears as a marginal entry, such as an entire section of an article devoted to the topic. References to more specific aspects of the topic then appear below this in an indented list. Encyclopedia Website The Encyclopedia of Volcanoes maintains its own editorial Website on the Internet at: http://www.apnet.com/volcano/ This site provides complete information about the contents of the Encyclopedia. For information about other current Academic Press reference works, such as the Encyclopedia of the Solar System, go to: http://www.apnet.com/reference/ [Return to Contents] | |