Study suggests Venus may still be geologically active
7 reported
New research from ETH Zurich indicates that Venus may still be geologically active, with giant rift valleys that could be much younger than previously believed. Scientists have long considered the planet dormant, but advanced 3D computer simulations suggest some rifts formed recently and may still be expanding. The study, published in Nature Geoscience, was led by Xi Yang during his Master's studies under Professor Taras Gerya. The simulations show that young rifts develop broad elevated ridges called rift flanks, which flatten as tectonic movement stops and the crust relaxes. These modeled features match images from the Magellan probe from the 1990s. The findings challenge the view of a geologically dead Venus and could guide future missions, including ESA's EnVision, scheduled to launch in the early 2030s.
What’s reported
The study was conducted by researchers at ETH Zurich and published in Nature Geoscience.
Lead author Xi Yang completed the research during his Master's studies under Professor Taras Gerya.
The team created the first high-resolution, 3D computer simulations of Venusian rifts.
The simulations indicate Venusian rifts can widen by about 3 to 10 centimeters each year.
Rift flanks flatten over time as the crust relaxes, unlike Earth where erosion wears down landforms.
The modeled structures match images from the Magellan probe from the 1990s.
ESA's EnVision mission, with contributions from ETH Zurich, is scheduled to launch in the early 2030s.
Key figures
Taras Gerya, Professor of Geodynamics at the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, ETH Zurich
Xi Yang, lead author, Master's student under Gerya
Paul Tackley, ETH geophysics professor
Sources: ScienceDaily
