Alien Volcanoes
Published on 1. May 2008
Book
Hardback
176 pages
978-0-8018-8673-7 (ISBN)
Description
At once terrifyingly destructive and awe-inspiringly beautiful, volcanoes have long fascinated humankind. From Vesuvius and Etna to Krakatau and Mount Saint Helen's, these molten rock- and ash-spewing geysers have destroyed whole cities and countless lives, and altered the course of history. Yet our understanding of volcanoes on Earth-and throughout the celestial world-remains maddeningly incomplete. With Alien Volcanoes, Rosaly M. C. Lopes and Michael W. Carroll offer a dynamic tour of volcanic activity across the solar system. Through eight gracefully written chapters laced with gripping photographs and stunning artwork, Lopes and Carroll survey the complete spectrum of volcanism in time and location, from the solar system's origin to the modern era and from the familiar shield volcanoes of the terrestrial worlds to the bizarre superchilled geysers on distant ice moons.
In the process, they entertain the possibility of hidden lakes on Saturn's moon Enceladus, discuss the potential effects of greenhouse gases on Neptune's moon Triton, reconstruct the last moments of life for Pompeiians in the face of an erupting Mount Vesuvius, and explain how a 4,000-mile-long river of lava could have once flowed freely across the plains of Venus. Richly illustrated with original paintings supplemented by NASA and European Space Agency photographs, Alien Volcanoes advances our knowledge of volcanoes on other heavenly bodies, enhances our ability to comprehend how they came into being on Earth, and describes how we might better predict the impact of future eruptions.
In the process, they entertain the possibility of hidden lakes on Saturn's moon Enceladus, discuss the potential effects of greenhouse gases on Neptune's moon Triton, reconstruct the last moments of life for Pompeiians in the face of an erupting Mount Vesuvius, and explain how a 4,000-mile-long river of lava could have once flowed freely across the plains of Venus. Richly illustrated with original paintings supplemented by NASA and European Space Agency photographs, Alien Volcanoes advances our knowledge of volcanoes on other heavenly bodies, enhances our ability to comprehend how they came into being on Earth, and describes how we might better predict the impact of future eruptions.
Reviews / Votes
This is an attractive coffee-table book that serves as an ideal taster for all budding volcanologists with an appreciation for the exotic, and is also a great conversation point for everyone else. Physics World 2008 With an accessible, inviting presentation and excellent photographs and illustrations, Alien Volcanoes is quite an easy book to read. Choice 2008 Offers a well-illustrated roundup of volcanic activity on the moons and planets of our solar system. -- George M. Eberhart College and Research Libraries 2008 The book has a wonderful and easy to follow writing style that, whilst covering quite complex topics, does not leave the average reader out in the cold, and possesses a flair almost like reading a novel... Thoroughly recommended. -- Nick Howes Astronomy Now 2008 The search for alien life has so far come up dry, but the search for alien volcanic activity is another story. In Alien Volcanoes, planetary scientist Rosaly Lopes and space artist and writer Michael Carroll take readers on a journey through space and time. Earth 2008 Alien Volcanoes advances our knowledge of volcanoes on other heavenly bodies and describes how we might better predict the impact of future eruptions. Spaceflight 2009 All of these features are documented in this entertaining and informative book, at least half of which is taken up by high-quality illustrations... an equal mix of education and entertainment for all, much to be recommended. -- Lionel Wilson The Observatory 2009 This is an attractive and very well-illustrated coffee-table book, containing many imaginative and well-executed paintings by the second author. With humans' near-fatal attraction to volcanoes, and given its lucid text and visual impact, Alien Volcanoes is certain to have wide appeal. Journal of the British Astronomical AssociationMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Baltimore, MD
United States
Target group
Adult education
Illustrations
111 color illus., 45 halftones
Dimensions
Height: 280 mm
Width: 210 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
1066 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8018-8673-7 (9780801886737)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Rosaly M. C. Lopes is a principal scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the investigation scientist for the Cassini radar instrument. She is an expert on terrestrial and planetary volcanism and the author of The Volcano Adventure Guide, Volcanic Worlds, and Io after Galileo. Michael W. Carroll is a science writer and artist specializing in astronomical imagery. His work has appeared in Time, National Geographic, Popular Science, Astronomy, and a host of other popular and scholarly publications.