Venus Shown to be Geologically Active in New Research

• Recent research from ETH Zurich indicates that Venus is geologically "alive" and hosts active volcanoes, challenging long-held beliefs that the planet is geologically inactive.
• New 3D computer models demonstrate that Venusian rift valleys form due to tectonic-like activity, with some potentially forming as recently as 100 million years ago.
• Research findings suggest that rift structures on Venus evolve and subside rapidly through crustal relaxation rather than erosion.

Scientific Findings

• ETH researchers, led by Professor Taras Gerya and lead author Xi Yang, utilized high-resolution 3D simulations to replicate Venusian rift valleys.
• Models show that rift flanks—the ridges along the edges of valleys—are evidence of geologically young or active movement.
• These rifts appear to widen at a rate of 3 to 10 centimeters per year, significantly faster than previously assumed.
• Data aligns with surface observations captured by the Magellan probe in the 1990s, where wide, high rift flanks are visible.

Implications and Future Missions

• The study, published in Nature Geoscience, provides a framework to identify active regions for future exploration.
• Understanding Venus’s dynamic interior offers insights into the formation of rocky planets and aids in the detection of rocky exoplanets.
• The European Space Agency (ESA) is currently preparing the EnVision mission, scheduled for the 2030s, to analyze the planet's surface and atmosphere. ETH geophysics professors are contributing instrument development for this mission.