Volcanic unrest: From science to society

Volcanic unrest is a complex multi-hazard phenomenon. The fact that unrest may or may not lead to an imminent eruption contributes significant uncertainty to short-term volcanic hazard and risk assessment. Although it is reasonable to assume that all eruptions are associated with precursory activity of some sort, the understanding of the causative links between subsurface processes, resulting unrest signals and imminent eruption is incomplete. When a volcano evolves from dormancy into a phase of unrest, important scientific, political and social questions need to be addressed.

This book is aimed at graduate students, researchers of volcanic phenomena, professionals in volcanic hazard and risk assessment, observatory personnel, and emergency managers who wish to learn about the complex nature of volcanic unrest and how to utilize new findings to deal with unrest phenomena at scientific and emergency managing levels. The book provides a summary of findings from the project entitled “Volcanic Unrest in Europe and Latin America: Phenomenology, eruption precursors, hazard forecast, and risk mitigation (VUELCO)”. Summarising and publicising the project's key findings, it covers:

1. The significance of volcanic unrest at the natural hazard and risk interface.
2. Geophysical and geochemical fingerprints of unrest and precursory activity.
3. Subsurface dynamics leading to unrest phenomena.
4. Stakeholder interaction and volcanic risk governance.