Pyroclastic Rocks is the first modern comprehensive treatment of
what they are and how they were formed. The subject is discussed against
a background of plate tectonics theory and modern advances in
volcanology, sedimentology and igneous petrology. The book provides a
thorough discussion of magmatic volatiles and pyroclastic processes as
well as magma-water interactions. Most of the book is concerned with the
wide spectrum of pyroclastic rocks formed on land and under water and by
fallout and various flowage mechanisms. Diagenetic processes by which
pyroclastic particles are transformed into rocks are discussed in
detail. The stratigraphic and tectonic importance of pyroclastic rocks
are illustrated using selected case histories. This uniquely integrated
account of pyroclastic processes, particles and rocks will prove a
valuable aid in reconstructing dynamic aspects of earth evolution as
well as predicting future volcanic hazards; understanding sedimentary
basins containing petroleum and gas deposits; locating ore deposits in
volcanic complexes and heat sources in geothermal prospecting; and
facilitating stratigraphic analysis in complex volcanic terrains.