Researchers Make Surprising Discovery on Venus

New research reveals that our celestial neighbor Venus may be home to volcanoes as active as Earth’s, challenging the idea that the planet has been geologically inactive for millions of years.

Venus: Earth’s Inhospitable Sister Planet

Venus is the second closest planet to the Sun and is often called Earth’s “sister planet” due to its similar size and composition. However, the similarities end there. Venus actually has a extremely thick and toxic atmosphere. The latter is mainly composed of carbon dioxide (CO₂), with traces of nitrogen and other gases. In addition to this, the atmosphere of this planet contains clouds of sulfuric acid that are formed by the combination of sulfur dioxide and water vapor. This dense and toxic atmosphere creates a surface pressure about 92 times higher than Earth. To put this in perspective, standing on the surface of Venus would be equivalent to being 3,000 feet underwater on Earth. This immense pressure makes the environment on this planet extremely hostile to any form of life as we know it. In addition to the crushing pressure, Venus is the planet the hottest of the solar system. Surface temperatures average 465 degrees Celsius, enough to melt lead. This intense heat is mainly due to an extreme greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide in Venus’ atmosphere traps the sun’s heat, preventing it from escaping into space. Despite these hostile conditions, scientific interest in the object remains high. Researchers are trying to understand how planets similar in size and composition to Earth can evolve in such different ways. What if, in fact, Venus and Earth have something else in common?

Venus and Earth. Credits: Pixabay

Recent volcanism

Scientists recently analyzed images of the surface of Venus taken by NASA‘s Magellan spacecraft between 1990 and 1992. To their surprise, they observed significant changes in two specific regions: Niobe Planitia and the western flank of Sif Mons. These changes in the landscape appear to have been caused by new lava flowssuggesting a recent volcanic activity on the planet. These findings are crucial because they challenge the preconceived notion that Venus is geologically dead, as was previously thought. While scientists have long known that Venus is dotted with volcanoes, little evidence of recent volcanic activity had been found until now. The latest indications of activity dated back about 2.5 million yearsa relatively short period from a geological point of view, but long enough that some believed that volcanic activity was now over.

The implications of the discovery

If Venus is still active, it means that the geological processes that shape its surface are still ongoing. This activity could be comparable to that on Earth, where volcanic eruptions occur regularly. Indeed, the estimated lava flows on Venus are comparable to the average rate of volcanic production on Earth over the past 180 million years. Researchers have even suggested that Venus could be experiencing up to 42 eruptions per year, with about twenty eruptions in a 60-day period. Understanding this volcanic activity could then provide clues about the geological evolution of Venus and perhaps even that of Earth. By studying Venusian volcanoes and associated processes, scientists can better understand the mechanisms of formation and evolution of planetary surfaces. It could also offer valuable clues about the evolution of planetary atmospheres and the conditions necessary for life. Future missions to Venus, such as those planned by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), will be crucial to deepen our understanding of this volcanic activity. With more advanced instruments and cutting-edge technologies, these missions will be able to provide even more precise data on the geological processes underway on Venus. Details of the study are published in Nature Astronomy