Eruption of Soufriere Hills Volcano

The andesitic dome-building eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano wreaked havoc on the small Caribbean island of Montserrat. About half of this 'emerald Isle' was rendered barren and uninhabitable, almost two-thirds of the original population had to leave, and 19 lives were lost, all as a direct result of the volcanic activity. This Memoir presents results of monitoring and associated research covering almost five-years, from the onset of the eruption in July 1995 until November 1999. Many diverse phenomena related to the ascent and extrusion of andesitic magma have been studied at close quarters. The eruption has permitted detailed documentation and better understanding of processes and associated signals that lead to lava dome instability and to explosive decompression, and of the physical behaviours and characteristics of associated pyroclastic currents. It has also provided the opportunity for development of different methods in hazards assessment and zonation, including formal elictations of international scientific expertise and statistical treatments of eruption-scenario models. The eruption and its consequences constitute an important case of volcanic crisis management and of the interactions between scientists, authorities and populace on a small island, with significant lessons for the future. This volume contains 30 papers, many of which address the chronology, dynamics, products and associated hazards of the eruption. It also includes papers specifically on the associated geophysics and geochemistry. Four introductory papers provide overviews of the eruption chronology and consequences, of the scientific results, of the evolution, organisation, role and activities of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, and of the volcanic evolution of Montserrat through time. A large photographic record of the 1995-199 eruptive period is included. Audience / Readership: The international volcanological community. Universities and earth science libraries. Volcano observatories.