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The surface of Venus is dominated by geologic features that include volcanoes, large impact craters, and aeolian erosion and sedimentation landforms. Venus has a topography reflecting its single, strong crustal plate, with a unimodal elevation distribution (over 90% of the surface lies within an elevation of -1.0 and 2.5 km) [1] that preserves ...
The mapping of Venus refers to the process and results of human description of the geological features of the planet Venus. It involves surface radar images of Venus, construction of geological maps , and the identification of stratigraphic units , volumes of rock with a similar age.
The surface of Venus is comparatively flat. When 93% of the topography was mapped by Pioneer Venus Orbiter, scientists found that the total distance from the lowest point to the highest point on the entire surface was about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi), about the same as the vertical distance between the Earth's ocean floor and the higher summits of the Himalayas.
Color-coded elevation map, showing the elevated terrae "continents" in yellow and minor features of Venus. The Venusian surface was a subject of speculation until some of its secrets were revealed by probes in the 20th century. Venera landers in 1975 and 1982 returned images of a surface covered in sediment and relatively angular rocks. [36]
The surface of Venus is hidden by clouds but surface features can be mapped using synthetic aperture radar. [33] Some images created by this mapping can give a perspective view of the elevation of the surface of Venus, which assists in the identification of volcanoes. [34] Volcanic features discovered include flood lavas, edifice clusters ...
It is sometimes called Earth's "sister planet" due to their similar size, gravity, and bulk composition (Venus is both the closest planet to Earth and the planet closest in size to Earth). The surface of Venus is covered by a dense atmosphere and presents clear evidence of former violent volcanic activity.
The very first visible-light images of Venus' surface from space have been captured by NASA's Parker Solar Probe, and it could help researchers piece together the mysteries of the distant planet.
Asteroid impacts on Venus are another common phenomenon that could have shaped Venus’ surface to evolve with these geological features, although such an asteroid would have to be huge because asteroids burn up in Venus’s atmosphere and pass through clouds sulfuric and other acids. [6]