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Volcanism

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Geochemistry

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

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Definition

Volcanism is the surface expression on any planetary body of the production, migration, and eruption of molten rock or magma from that body’s interior.

Introduction

Magma comprises three phases – solid, vapor, and liquid – in the form of crystals and bubbles suspended in a liquid, usually molten silicate rock. The production of magma implies that any volcanically active planetary body has a source of internal energy. On Earth that source of internal energy is a combination of radiogenic heat from the long-lived radioisotopes 235U, 238U, 232Th, and 40K and residual primordial heat from the Earth’s formation and core segregation. On other bodies, such as Io, one of the larger Jovian moons, the heat is derived from tidal distortions caused by its proximity to Jupiter. Other moons in the solar system show evidence of volcanism caused by the melting of thick layers of ice.

All four of the inner planets of the solar system and the Earth’s moon show evidence of volcanic processes...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

    Nick Rogers

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  1. Nick Rogers
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Correspondence to Nick Rogers .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth, Cornell University Department of Earth, Ithaca, New York, USA

    William M. White

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Rogers, N. (2016). Volcanism. In: White, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_298-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39193-9_298-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39193-9

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