Evidence of an Active Volcano on Venus
Explanation:
Are volcanoes still active on Venus?
More
volcanoes are known on Venus than Earth,
but when
Venusian volcanoes last erupted is not directly known.
Evidence
bolstering very recent volcanism on Venus has recently been uncovered, though,
right here on Earth.
Lab results showed that images of
surface lava
would become dim in the infrared in only months in the dense Venusian atmosphere,
a dimming not seen in ESA's
Venus
Express images.
Venus Express entered orbit around
Venus in 2006 and
remained in contact with Earth until 2014.
Therefore, the
infrared
glow (shown in false-color red) recorded by Venus Express for
Idunn Mons and featured here on a NASA
Magellan image
indicates that this volcano erupted very recently -- and is still active today.
Understanding the
volcanics of
Venus might lead to insight about the
volcanics on Earth, as well as
elsewhere
in
our
Solar System.
New:
APOD now available in Turkish from Turkey
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
