Author name: Josef Dufek

Volcanic activity is dictated by crustal pathways and reservoirs through which magma ascends and collects. The Cascades are a natural laboratory to study the influence of the crust on erupted magmas and subterranean reservoirs. The interaction of ascending magmas with the variable subduction geometry and tectonics of the overriding North American plate has given rise to a diversity of magmatic storage conditions. The confluence of geochemical and geophysical investigations emphasizes that most magmatic systems in the Cascades have been built at multiple levels in the crust, as determined by tectonics, pre-existing structure, and magmatic flux from the mantle.

The well-studied Cascadia subduction zone has enriched our general understanding of global subduction zones. This Elements issue explores the interconnected set of processes that link geodynamics, tectonics, and magmatism at depth and the surface expressions of these processes, which shape the landscape and give rise to natural hazards in the Cascadia region. This issue also addresses the impact of subduction zone processes on human populations using cultural records, and reviews the state of knowledge of Cascadia while highlighting some key outstanding research questions.