The geology of the rocky planet bears at least one similarity to that of Earth.
(CN) – While no organic life has been found on Venus, scientists believe the planet is very much alive – geologically, that is.
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich show in a study published Friday that the planet is home to active volcanoes and relatively recent tectonic movements.
Rift valleys are lowland regions surrounded by mountainous terrain. They form when shifting tectonic plates pull up the surface of a planet, with sediments or fluid-filling voids left in between. Examples on Earth include the East African Rift and Siberia’s Lake Baikal, our planet’s deepest lake and largest body of fresh water by volume.
Although Venus lacks oceans and breathable air, the planet has these valleys, just like Earth. The commonality between two vastly different celestial bodies is nothing to overlook, even if it is limited to a “rocky” relationship.
The scientists, led by Taras Gerya and Xi Yang, used high-resolution 3D modeling software to simulate the surface of Venus at a level of sharpness not achieved by previous studies.
Surveying rift valleys that stretch over 6,000 miles, the team found “rift flanks”—ridges formed at the edges of active or recently active rift valleys—comparable, in theory, to what exists in places like South Africa’s Great Escarpment.
Mapping images from NASA’s Magellan probe from 1989 also show relatively recent rift arms on Venus, corroborating the Swiss team’s findings from their 3D computer model and indicating that the rocky planet is likely still in geological motion.
“The results help us to better assess the tectonic activity on Venus,” Gerya said in a statement.
The researchers noted that, due to “crustal relaxation,” the wings of the Venusian rift flatten out quickly after plate movement stops, while similar surface features on Earth are more likely to be worn away by erosion over time.
The apparent confirmation that Venus remains geologically active is a valuable discovery in itself, but scientists are optimistic that more knowledge about the formation of terrestrial planets, such as Earth and Venus, can be obtained using similar methodologies.
The team’s long-term goal is to better discover and study rocky exoplanets far beyond the Solar System.
The European Space Agency is planning an unmanned orbital mission to Venus in 2031, with the aim of surveying its surface and atmosphere more thoroughly than ever to uncover more of our planetary neighbor’s geological and historical secrets.
Subscribe to our free newsletters
Our weekly newsletter Closing arguments provides the latest on ongoing trials, major litigation and decisions in courts around the US and the world, while monthly Under the lights feeds legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.
