Editorial: Volcanic Islands—A Challenge for Volcanology

Abstract

Most volcanoes on the Earth rise from the bottom of seas and oceans. Most of them do not reach the surface of sea and remain hidden to all conventional observations from surface and space. Only some of them rise above the sea level, forming islands and passing from submarine to subaerial volcanism. Volcanic islands develop in virtually all the geodynamic contexts on Earth, from mid-ocean ridges (Iceland), to intraplate (Hawaii), to volcanic arcs (Aeolian Islands). All the liquid-descent evolutive degrees of magma are finally represented, from primitive compositions up to strongly evolved rhyolite, trachyte and phonolite lavas. So, the eruptive styles of these volcanoes range consequently from mild effusions to plinian eruptions.