New research shows that long-lived volcanism, driven by early, energetic collisions on Venus, offers an explanation of its young surface age with stagnant-lid tectonics. This volcanic activity is fuelled by a superheated core, resulting in vigorous internal melting regardless of initial conditions.
“One of the mysteries of the inner Solar System is that, despite their similar size and bulk density, Earth and Venus operate in strikingly distinct ways, particularly affecting the processes that move materials through a planet,” said Southwest Research Institute researcher Simone Marchi.
The Earth’s shifting plates continuously reshape its surface as chunks of the crust collide to form mountains ranges, and in places promote volcanism.
Venus has more volcanoes than any other planet in the Solar System but has only one continuous plate for its surface.
More than 80,000 volcanoes — 60 times more than Earth — have played a major role in renewing the planet’s surface through floods of lava, which may continue to this day.
Previous simulations struggled to create scenarios to support this level of volcanism.
“Our latest models show that long-lived volcanism driven by early, energetic collisions on Venus offer a compelling explanation for its young surface age,” said Yale University’s Professor Jun Korenaga.
“This massive volcanic activity is fueled by a superheated core, resulting in vigorous internal melting.”
Earth and Venus formed in the same neighborhood of the Solar System as solid materials collided with each other and gradually combined to form the two rocky planets.
The slight differences in the planets’ distances from the Sun changed their impact histories, particularly the number and outcome of these events.
These differences arise because Venus is closer to the Sun and moves faster around it, energizing impact conditions.
In addition, the tail of collisional growth is typically dominated by impactors originating from beyond…
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