Universe Today
When it comes to literary allegories, Venus is about as close to Dante's description of hell as one can get! Its atmosphere is 93 times as dense as Earth's, which is equal to the pressure found 900 m (3,000 ft) underwater, enough to crush the human body. It's also the hottest planet in the Solar System, with temperatures reaching 467 °C (872 °F), which is hot enough to melt lead. Unlike Earth, its surface is not composed of tectonic plates that are constantly shuffling around, but a single-piece crust.
Until recently, scientists believed that this meant Venus was geologically inactive, though recent findings have challenged this. According to a new study by ETH researchers, Venus is not only geologically "alive" but hosts many active volcanoes. This is evident from Venus' rift valleys, which can measure up to 10,000 km (mi) in diameter. On Venus, they can span up to 10,000 kilometers.
lowland features that resemble those found on Earth and form when tectonic plates move apart. While the timing of their formation is not yet certain, the team's simulations indicate that they could have formed about 100 million years ago.
Rift valleys, which indicate tectonic activity, can be vast and resemble those on Earth, such as the African Rift Valley.
ETH researchers, led by Taras Gerya, Professor of Geodynamics at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, have used a new computer model to demonstrate that some rift valleys may have formed relatively recently. The planetary scientists also addressed the long-standing question of whether Venus is geologically active. This study has been published in Nature Geoscience. Lead author Xi Yang conducted the research as part of his Master’s studies under Gerya’s supervision. Add ETH Zurich as a preferred Google source
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Yang and his team used a new computer model to simulate high-resolution, 3D rifts for the first time. This allowed them to accurately replicate these rift structures in simulations and provide better explanations of their formation. Earlier models had relied on simplified material assumptions and been mostly two-dimensional.
The models indicate that broad ridges, known as rift flanks, form along the edges of rift valleys when the rifts are geologically young and either still actively moving or have only recently stopped moving. The simulations also suggest that these rifts widen more rapidly than had been previously believed, at a rate of 3 to 10 centimetres per year.
Yang and his colleagues also show that the rift flanks tend to flatten rapidly after movement ceases; the older the rift system, the less steep and narrow its flanks. Unlike Earth, where erosion gradually wears down features, Venus’s flanks subside due to crustal relaxation.
Wide and high rift flanks are not only produced by the computer model but can also be seen in images of the Venusian surface from the Magellan probe during its 1990’s mission.
Based on their simulations and observational data, the researchers conclude that Venus remains an active planet with a more dynamic interior than had been previously believed. “The results help us to better assess the tectonic activity on Venus,” says Gerya.
The results of the ETH researchers’ model could help pinpoint active regions worthy of detailed investigation for these missions. Additionally, the study enhances our understanding of how rocky planets form. Importantly, the researchers aim to uncover clues that could improve the detection of rocky exoplanets. Growing interest in our neighbouring planet
Interest in Venus is increasing as NASA and ESA prepare multiple missions to explore Earth’s neighbouring planet.
ETH geophysics professors Paul Tackley and Taras Gerya, along with their collaborators, are participating in ESA’s EnVision mission. They are developing instruments for the Venus orbiter to analyse the planet’s surface. The mission, scheduled for launch in the early 2030s, will explore the planet more thoroughly, from its core to its upper atmosphere.
Further Reading: ETH Zurich
