Constraining the interior structure of crustal plateaus on Venus in the context of future space missions.

Abstract

Crustal plateaus are large, high elevation physiographic features on Venus associated with the strongly deformed tessera terrains. They present positive, low magnitude gravity anomalies, and they are stratigraphically the oldest surfaces on the planet [1]. Previous investigations of the gravity and topography signatures of the plateaus have shown that these regions are consistent with shallow support via crustal thickening [2, 3]. In addition, surface emissivity data obtained by Venus Express have shown that the plateaus are associated with low emissivity anomalies, which could be indicative of a felsic composition [4]. Given these observational data sets that are summarized in Figure 1 for Alpha Regio, crustal plateaus could be analogues to the continents on Earth, which would have major implications for our understanding of the tectonic and geodynamic processes that operated throughout Venus’ evolution. Therefore, a careful investigation of the origin and evolution of these features is one of the main objectives of the future missions to Venus.