В работе показано, что в размещении современных гидротермальных систем и вулканических
пород плиоцен-четвертичного возраста на Камчатке большая роль принадлежит разломам северо-восточного простирания, вдоль которых с юго-запада на северо-восток прослеживается последовательное "омоложение" вулканических пород, сужение областей их распространения, уменьшение диаметра купольно-кольцевых структур, выклинивание зон новейших разрывных нарушений, возрастание естественных ресурсов тепла, аккумулированного горными породами известных гидротермальных систем. Последовательное смещение к северо-востоку проявлений вулканической и гидротермальной деятельности выявлено также в пределах отдельных вулканических
центров, приуроченных к этим разломам. Показано, что удовлетворительного объяснения выявленным закономерностям в настоящее время нет. Наиболее вероятно последовательное смещение к северо-востоку магмы, поднимающейся вдоль фронта Курило-Камчатской дуги.

Three stages of study of active and potentially active volcanoes on Kamchatka and the Kurile Islands were distinguished: the anterior stage (1700-1935), the new stage (1935-1962) and the recent stage (from 1962 till present time).
This paper provides a new, for the first time scientifically based term of «active volcano». Updated catalogues display active and potentially active volcanoes of Kamchatka and the Kurile Islands. Here we propose a long-term forecast of behavior and parameters of impending eruptions and related volcanic hazards for the typical volcanoes of the 1st and the 2nd stages of evolution.

We have identified, and describe in this paper, a phase of multifactor natural catastrophism that has been the greatest during our era in Kamchatka, to be dated 0-650 A. D. Its chief components were. The last catastrophic eruptions to have occurred (a caldera-generating one at about 240 A. D., the pyroclastics volume being 18-19 km3 and a subcaldera one around 600 A. D. with the volume of lava and pyroclastics 9.5-10.5 km3) which were followed by irreversible relief changes over areas of hundreds of square kilometers and have affected rather injuriously many other environmental components. An exceptionally intensive activity of the other volcanoes (at least 75-80% of all active and potebtially active Kamchatkan volcanoes were erupting, tens of large and catastrophic eruptions occurred). Regional catastrophic and large ashfalls. A sharp, large-amplitude (between 1.5-2 and 12-15 m) tectonic uplift of various blocks in Kamchatka. Large earthquakes accompanied by large-volume rockfalls, landslides, large and frequent tsunamis. The catastrophic events of that time are argued to have been part of a worldwide phase of natural catastrophism that we hypothesize to have occurred at the beginning of our era.

The actual collective monograph presents the results of both theoretical and experimental studies of the multi-disciplinary problem on volcanic hazard assessment and development of techniques for prediction of catastophic eruptions. The volcanism of Kamchatka and other regions of Russia has been analyzed. On the basis of geological, volcanological and tephrachronological studies including radiocarbon dating, there have been defined certain groups of volcanoes on different stages of evolution. At the same time the problem of determination of the internal structure of volcanic dome using modem theoretical methods and technologies is well investigated. The new techniques of estimation of volcanic hazard were developed. Whenever ti is required, theoretical approaches are confirmed by results of in-field observations.

The book will satisfy the needs of Earth sciences specialists from a variety of backgrounds, volcanology, geo-mechanics, ecology, industrial constuction applications and hazard assessment.