Early volcanological research in the Vulkaneifel, Germany, the classic region of maar-diatreme volcanoes: the years 1774-1865
Abstract
The Vulkaneifel (Volcanic West Eifel) in the western part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains, Germany, played a major role in the early history of volcanology in general and especially so with respect to the recognition and volcanology of maar-diatreme volcanoes. In 1819, the volcano term "maar" was introduced into the scientific literature by Johann Steininger, a teacher from Trier (Treves) who established the Vulkaneifel as the type region for this kind of volcano. At that time, only a few pioneers—in the earliest days practically all of them were amateurs—had visited this part of western Central Europe in the late eighteenth and earliest nineteenth century. Despite many making important contributions to knowledge of volcanoes, not all were appreciated. In consequence, only in the second half of the twentieth century did new ideas and concepts concerning volcanism in general and phreatomagmatic activity in particular arise that were not previously presented by these pioneers. Their pathbreaking ideas have so far been mostly ignored, we feel, because of the old literature's limited availability. This paper tries to shed new light on these trailblazers. A selection of early geological maps of the Vulkaneifel and its neighbouring regions demonstrates the enormous advancements that had been achieved during those early days, to a large extent, in this part of Western Europe.
- Publication:
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Bulletin of Volcanology
- Pub Date:
- August 2013
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s00445-013-0743-0
- Bibcode:
- 2013BVol...75..743L
- Keywords:
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- Volcanology;
- Maar-diatreme volcanoes;
- Vulkaneifel;
- Germany;
- History;
- Maar–diatreme volcanoes