The 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens, Washington

175

instance,

the

tandward

author

from

suggests

mountain

that

chains

greenstone that

arose

belts

formed

from

ocean-continent

in marginal

boundaries.

This might have been so, but there are also other locales

greenstone

belts

affected

suggested

by ascending

extraterrestrial

in the literature,

magmatic

objects.

plumes.

A separate

such

as rift

and craters

zones,

resulting

list of some advanced

basins

collisiona~ for origins

cratonic

of

basins

from impacting

by

books is given at the end of

the book. But lack of references within the text offers no ready mechanism for tracing discussions on controversial issues. Although this deficiency may be criticized,

it has permitted

an unencumbered

presentation.

Such an approach

may

popularize metamorphic geology, as it enables easy comprehension of subject matter which is one of the principal goals of the book. I think that this inexpensive book is a success because it is informative and well written. I believe that the author has succeeded in succinctly introducing relevant points in metamorphic geology including the application of modern theories of plate tectonics. I will gladly use this book in combination introduction to metamorphic geology. Only a few typographical

errors are noted, and they are platy quartz where should

have been platy micas (p. 8), 300-400 121). and the spelling

with other texts for a course in

of “banding”

Ma where should and “gneissose

have been 300-400

banding”

H.G. CHURNET

Tile 1980 Eruprions of Mount

St. Helens,

My (p.

(p. 6). (Chattanooga.

W~~~~n~t~n. P.W.

Lipman

TN. U.S.A.)

and

D.R.

Mullineaux (Editors), United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper 1250. United States Geological Survey, Reston, VA, 1982, xxvii + 844 pp., US $35.00 (hardcover). The 1980 eruption

of Mount

St. Helens, Washington

on May 18 at 0832 followed

warning events. including increased seismicity. hydrothermal activity and ominous topographic bulging, which culminated in the earthquake-triggered avalanche which initiated

the eruption.

material

which swept down the northern

devastation,

The enormous

explosion

removed

the tragic loss of over 60 lives, and inflicting

which extended

beyond

2-3

flank of the mountain

the state of Washington.

cubic

damage

The eruption

kilometers

causing

of

spectacular

and disruption

and its effects and

deposits have been more closely studied and documented than any other modern comparable eruption. Such studies provide valuable data for generations of volcanologists and information on environmental impact of volcanic eruptions. The timing and location of the eruption may therefore prove fortunate not only for volcanologists but for the many people living on or near to active volcanoes. This book is an account of the 1980 eruption as described and interpreted in over 60 papers, many multi-authored. These are arranged in five major sections with

176

additional and

sub-sections.

the rear pocket

first section colour

contains

on Volcanic

photographs

Monitoring pyroclastic

Each section

a geological

events includes

of the eruption,

and Volcanic deposits

Deposits,

(including

describe

Helens eruption This volume many

scientific

many

is followed flow, lahars,

works,

superlatives,

this Professional

on Geophysical

Migration-Imuging

Berkhout. Elsevier, $5 1.OO (hardcover).

air fall deposits).

methods

reflection some

contributors journals. beginning

and

or so years

have been

confined

presentations

since

ago. For the most to publication

at professional

to see some more general

It is excellently

has already

(Milton

suffered

treatments

Kr\nrs.

to modeling

Great

Britain)

A.J.

part,

the efforts

at broad

US

and migration

the introduction

symposia.

aimed

too

Dfl.lZO.OO/approx.

of specialized

society

St.

Unlike

for all volcanologists.

and its application greatly

St.

of Mount

Energv by Wuoe Field E.utrupohtiorl.

have expanded

dozen

The final

of eruptions.

or superceded.

St. Helens

1980, XII + 339 pp..

wave theory

data

of

the growth

material.

of the 1980 eruption

be dated Mount

of Acoustic

of a variety

the lessons learnt from the Mount

Paper is a ‘- must”

Amsterdam,

The field of acoustic of seismic

accounts

of erupted

R.S. THORPE

Seismic

The

by sections

with (the few) other classic accounts and although

deposits.

and remarkable

and air fall on civil works. vegetation

to analyse

most of it cannot

and illustrated,

photograph,

accounts

valuable

and geochemistry

for future volcanic activity. provides an excellent account

Helens which will compare produced

and

pyroclastic

and attempt

colour

map of the 1980 volcanic vivid eye witness

the effects of the mudflow

and river water quality,

by a superb

which include

of dacite domes, and the mineralogy sections

is preceded

articles

of these of various in refereed

We are now finally areas of the field.

The current work should become (if it is not already) a highly important, milestone in this direction. The author assumes a knowledge of reflection seismic exploration

useful,

if not

field methods

and a familiarity with its basic terminology. He also assumes the reader has a background in signal processing and seismic interpretation in general (definitely above the level of most students). The work as a whole adopts an operational approach

and draws upon comparisons

in related

fields, such as optics. Reference

is

often made to practical questions of resolution and sampling, proper field methods, and selection of the parameter domain for processing. It is aimed mainly at practicing scientists who are already familiar with the geometrical concepts and are concerned directly with computer programming or examining the processed results. The subject matter is dealt with in a progressive manner beginning with four chapters of background information. The approach is oriented toward results that