Pacific Ocean closed loop of the andesite line are most of the deep troughs, submerged volcanic mountains, and oceanic volcanic islands that characterize the Pacific basin. Here basaltic lavas gently flow out of rifts to build huge dome-shaped volcanic mountains whose eroded summits form island arcs, chains, and clusters. Outside the andesite line, volcanism is of the explosive type, and the Pacific Ring of Fire is the world's foremost belt of explosive volcanism. The Ring of Fire is named after the several hundred active volcanoes that sit above the various subduction zones. The Pacific Ocean is the only ocean which is almost
Ring of Fire (anthology) minor cost to understanding and in appreciation that can be avoided. Flint has stated that he intends that short stories featuring major characters, or establishing points that will be important in future novels will be collected into the "Ring of Fire" anthologies, and that "The Grantville Gazettes" anthologies will feature the stories of characters that don't establish new background for the novels. However, many of the characters or events become more important in retrospect than either the author or editor expected, so this rule is fairly weak. Weber's short story sets up major story elements that play out in "1633"