NEW DELHI: A recent analysis of data collected by Nasa’s Magellan spacecraft between 1990 and 1992 reveals evidence of fresh lava flows on the planet’s surface during the spacecraft’s observations. The study was published in Nature Astronomy on May 27.
Planetary scientist Paul Byrne of Washington University in St Louis, who was not involved in the study said, “This definitely is another step in the path to understanding Venus as a living, breathing world.”
Despite being similar in size to Earth, Venus was long considered geologically inactive.However, many scientists believed that Venus should have comparable levels of internal heat, which is the primary driver of volcanic activity and earthquakes.
The new research follows a similar approach to a study published last year, which identified a volcanic vent changing shape and potentially releasing lava in Magellan data, providing the first conclusive evidence of such activity on Venus.
The current study, led by planetary scientist David Sulcanese of D’Annunzio University in Chieti-Pescara, Italy, and his colleagues, searched for signs of volcanism across Venus’ vast surface area, which is three times the size of Earth’s dry land.
Magellan’s radar images revealed long, sinuous features appearing between two of the spacecraft’s passes over the western slopes of Sif Mons, a large shield volcano, and Niobe Planitia, a flat region dotted with volcanic vents.
The researchers considered various explanations for these features, such as artifacts in the radar data or the result of landslides. However, the features followed the local topography, indicating that they were indeed flowing across Venus’ surface, and they occurred in relatively flat areas where landslides would be unlikely.
Byrne believes that the study authors have convincingly demonstrated that the changes in the surface appearance in these two instances are best explained by the presence of lava flows. He suggests that there may be many more instances of active volcanism waiting to be discovered, given the low resolution of Magellan’s data and the immense land area of Venus.
Both Byrne and the study authors agree that Venus could currently have a level of volcanic activity comparable to that of Earth. Future NASA missions, such as DAVINCI and VERITAS, scheduled to launch next decade, will provide more detailed maps of the Venusian surface, making it easier to identify signs of ongoing volcanic activity.
Planetary scientist Paul Byrne of Washington University in St Louis, who was not involved in the study said, “This definitely is another step in the path to understanding Venus as a living, breathing world.”
Despite being similar in size to Earth, Venus was long considered geologically inactive.However, many scientists believed that Venus should have comparable levels of internal heat, which is the primary driver of volcanic activity and earthquakes.
The new research follows a similar approach to a study published last year, which identified a volcanic vent changing shape and potentially releasing lava in Magellan data, providing the first conclusive evidence of such activity on Venus.
The current study, led by planetary scientist David Sulcanese of D’Annunzio University in Chieti-Pescara, Italy, and his colleagues, searched for signs of volcanism across Venus’ vast surface area, which is three times the size of Earth’s dry land.
Magellan’s radar images revealed long, sinuous features appearing between two of the spacecraft’s passes over the western slopes of Sif Mons, a large shield volcano, and Niobe Planitia, a flat region dotted with volcanic vents.
The researchers considered various explanations for these features, such as artifacts in the radar data or the result of landslides. However, the features followed the local topography, indicating that they were indeed flowing across Venus’ surface, and they occurred in relatively flat areas where landslides would be unlikely.
Byrne believes that the study authors have convincingly demonstrated that the changes in the surface appearance in these two instances are best explained by the presence of lava flows. He suggests that there may be many more instances of active volcanism waiting to be discovered, given the low resolution of Magellan’s data and the immense land area of Venus.
Both Byrne and the study authors agree that Venus could currently have a level of volcanic activity comparable to that of Earth. Future NASA missions, such as DAVINCI and VERITAS, scheduled to launch next decade, will provide more detailed maps of the Venusian surface, making it easier to identify signs of ongoing volcanic activity.
