Active lava flows on Venus raise the stakes for future exploration
Observations made by the Magellan spacecraft in the 1990s include signs of recent lava flows, highlighting possible exploration targets for probes heading to Venus in the 2030s
By Alex Wilkins
27 May 2024
The Sif Mons area with the active volcanic region highlighted in red
IRSPS – Università d’Annunzio: [email protected]t
Recent lava flows spotted on Venus suggest the planet could be much more geologically active than first thought, possibly as active as Earth.
The geological processes producing these flows, first spotted in the 1990s by the Magellan spacecraft, are likely to still be active and will be important areas to observe in upcoming missions to Venus.
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Venus was once thought to be a “dead” planet, with possible geological activity long having ceased. But recent reanalysis of Magellan data has found compelling evidence that the activity is ongoing, such as a volcanic vent that changed shape over a period of eight months. However, it has been unclear how widespread this activity might be, with little direct evidence.
Davide Sulcanese at D’Annunzio University in Chieti, Italy, and his colleagues have now reanalysed Magellan radar data, looking at two different areas on Venus’s surface: the northern volcano Sif Mons and a plain in the east known as Niobe Planitia.
They found variations in brightness from the reflected radar signal over time, which suggests there are areas of material that have expanded, most likely from moving lava flows.
