Venus has been referred to as “Earth’s twin” for years, but many people thought of it as a desolate, scorching wasteland. But a recent NASA discovery has disproved that notion, showing that Venus is not geologically dead. Significant geological activity is still occurring on Venus, according to new analysis of radar and gravity data from NASA’s Magellan orbiter.
Under the direction of Gael Cascioli of the University of Maryland and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the study offers vital new information about the planet’s subsurface processes. The evolution of Venus, the second planet from the Sun, differs greatly from that of Earth. With clouds of sulfuric acid and mostly carbon dioxide, its thick atmosphere produces a runaway greenhouse effect that raises surface temperatures to a searing 900°F (475°C). Despite Venus’ greater distance from the Sun, these harsh conditions make it the hottest planet in our solar system, even hotter than Mercury.
Scientists thought Venus had no active geological processes for a long time. However, Cascioli’s group found strong proof of continuous tectonic action. Venus’s hot mantle causes surface movements even though it does not have the same tectonic plates as Earth. Large circular scars known as coronae, which are frequently created by rising magma, were discovered by radar scans from the Magellan orbiter, which mapped almost 98% of the surface between 1990 and 1994. A dynamic, ever-changing surface is suggested by the fact that many of these coronae are located above active mantle plumes.
Additionally, Magellan’s radar data revealed evidence of volcanic eruptions, including new lava flows discovered around Sif Mons and an increase in volcanic vent activity close to Maat Mons. These eruptions are different from those on Earth because Venusian magma oozes slowly in the absence of water to lubricate cracks, forming vast lava plains rather than explosive cones.
Given its active geology, Venus may have experienced a crust recycling process akin to that of early Earth prior to the emergence of contemporary plate tectonics. Even more detailed information about Venus’s geological activity will be available from future missions, such as NASA’s VERITAS in 2031, which will provide a window into the planet’s distant past and its capacity to sustain an environment more akin to Earth.
Once believed to be a frozen remnant of the past, Venus is far more dynamic than anyone anticipated. Its mysteries are only now coming to light.
