330 Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 60 (1994) 327-331
book, which covers the cultural, economic and
sociological aspects of volcanic disasters. It is
obviously a labor of love and very well written - -
I covered the last third of the book in a single
sitting. Case histories show responses and ad-
justments to volcanic hazards of different mag-
nitudes in a variety of societies. It is an excellent
tutorial for the volcanologist who has to tailor his
volcanic hazard analysis and prediction to the
culture in which he is working. It is worth the
price of the book for readers of JVGR to better
Volcanology and Geothermal Energy, by Kenneth Wohletz and Grant Heiken. Lose Alamos Series in
Basic and Applied Science No. 12. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1992, 432 pp.,
$ 65.00.
This volume will prove to be an important
contribution to the fields of volcanology and
geothermal exploration. It does an excellent job
of integrating these two disciplines which have
followed somewhat separate paths in the scien-
tific literature but are intimately connected in
nature. The goal of the book is to apply volcan-
ological concepts to the evaluation and explora-
tion of geothermal energy resources. The au-
thor's major premise is that detailed analysis of
pyroclastic rocks gives information vital to the
evaluation of geothermal systems in the parent
volcano. The book is successful in forging the
links between quantitative volcanology and geo-
thermal exploration, but it achieves more than
that; it is also a first-rate text on physical
volcanology.
The volcanological content of the book is based
largely on the authors' original research in both
field and modeling aspects, while the geothermal
content comes mainly from first-hand experi-
ence gained in the authors' exploration work in
Middle America and with the Los Alamos Hot
Dry Rock program. It begins with a summary of
recent practical advances in volcanology, includ-
ing explosive eruption mechanisms and water-
magma interaction, and then moves on to de-
scribe the considerable importance of pyroclastic
rocks as a tool to evaluate geothermal systems,
including an in-depth treatment of hydrovolcan-
understand the sociology of disasters and how to
best present the data that they have collected on
the World's volcanoes.
If you are planning to teach a class on volcanic
hazards and their mitigation, this is your book.
Even if you aren't at a university, it should be
near at hand on your desk. Chester has made his
contribution to the International Decade.
GRANT HEIKEN
( Los Alamos, NM, USA )
ism. Subsequent chapters deal with surface man-
ifestations of geothermal areas, and hydrother-
mal systems associated with calderas, silicic lava
domes, and basaltic volcanoes. The last chapter
is on geothermal systems in maturing composite
volcanoes. To illustrate variations within each
type of geothermal system, carefully selected case
histories and well-documented examples are
used. Other cases discussed come from classic
descriptions of geothermal systems in many re-
gions and settings.
The view of volcanology presented in this book
is process-oriented and the text gives a well or-
ganized overview of volcano types and associ-
ated processes. Most of the content is directed
towards a better understanding of geothermal
processes around magma bodies and within
erupting volcanoes. The book makes two signif-
icant contributions; first, in its treatment of
eruption dynamics, focusing on quantitative and
theoretical analysis of volcanic processes, and
second, in its comprehensive treatment of the
fundamentals of hydrovolcanism, including fuel-
coolant interactions and hydrofracturing.
There are many appealing features of "Vol-
canology and Geothermal Energy". One is the
extensive Appendices, which occupy about one-
quarter of its length and contain much basic ap-
plied volcanology. They give a broad overview of
field methods in volcanic regions, volcanic rock
 Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 60 (I 994) 327-331
classifications and properties (including perme-
ability, porosity, densities, elastic constants,
strengths, and thermal properties), thermody-
namic properties of water vapor (steam tables),
and discussion of the use of cuttings in geother-
mal well logs. A two-dimensional heat flow code
used for estimating geothermal resources is also
given. In the text, terminology and jargon are
minimized and are explained in a concise glos-
sary. This is a well-produced book, with numer-
ous simple but effective line and two-color dia-
grams, which work well in almost all cases, and
black and white photographs. The text reads
smoothly, the contents pages and index are de-
tailed, and the content is logical and well
organized.
There are shortcomings to this book, they are
few, but one or two perhaps deserve mention. The
geothermal systems discussed in detail are, nat-
urally, those with which the authors are familiar
331
(associated with calderas and composite volcan-
oes in Central America and the Caribbean), so
there is less detail and up-to-date information on
basaltic systems, particularly those in Iceland.
Also the text and bibliography are lacking in dis-
cussion of recent theoretical treatments of vol-
canic phenomena by other research groups.
Overall, this is a fine book that I hope will re-
ceive the attention and circulation it deserves. It
is the only one available that integrates recent
advances in physical volcanology, particularly in
explosive volcanism and pyroclastic deposits,
with the needs of geologists interested in under-
standing geothermal systems. It will find wide
appeal among exploration geologists, academic
professionals, and students alike, and could serve
as a text for upper courses or workshops in vol-
canology or geothermal exploration.
STEPHEN SELF
(Honolulu, HI, USA)