Venus' Pancake Volcanoes Crust is the Secret Ingredient!

Venus' Pancake Volcanoes: A Bending Crust Holds the Secret

Venus, often dubbed Earth's "evil twin," presents a landscape that is both fascinating and terrifying. Among its many geological oddities, the "pancake domes" stand out – massive, flattened volcanoes resembling planetary-sized pancakes cooling on the scorching surface. For years, scientists believed these formations were solely the result of thick, sluggish lava flows. However, a groundbreaking new study suggests a more nuanced explanation: the planet's flexible crust plays a crucial role in shaping these unique structures.

Published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, the research delves into the mysteries surrounding these colossal domes, with a specific focus on Narina Tholus, a behemoth stretching approximately 90 miles (145 kilometers) in diameter.

Unlocking the Secrets with Old Data and New Models

The research team cleverly utilized archived radar data from NASA's Magellan mission in the 1990s to construct a virtual model of Narina Tholus. This model allowed them to simulate various scenarios, testing different types of lava and crustal conditions to determine what could produce the observed "geological flapjack."

The findings were surprising. While lava composition is undoubtedly important, it's not the whole story. According to the researchers, "Our models show that flexure influences dome shape; in the presence of more flexure, dome tops become flatter and sides steeper."

Venus' Bendy Crust: The Key Ingredient

Imagine the Venusian crust as a pliable skin. When subjected to the immense weight of slow-moving lava, it deforms and dimples. The simulations revealed that lava flowing over a flexible lithosphere doesn't spread out evenly. Instead, it piles up, creating the signature flat tops and steep sides of the pancake domes. This model also successfully replicated the crustal bulges observed around some domes in previous studies, further strengthening the argument for crustal flexure.

The Lava Factor: Ultra-Dense and Viscous

While a bendy crust is essential, the lava itself must possess specific properties. The study suggests that only ultra-dense lava – more than twice the density of water and over a trillion times as viscous as ketchup (as reported by Live Science) – could effectively create these domes and the surrounding deformation. Such lava would take an estimated "up to hundreds of thousands of Earth-years" to fully settle into these colossal structures.

Key Takeaways:

• Venus' "pancake domes" are likely formed by a combination of thick, ultra-dense lava and a flexible crust.
• Crustal flexure causes the lava to pile up, creating flat tops and steep sides.
• The model successfully reproduces crustal bulges observed around some domes.
• The lava is estimated to be more than twice the density of water and incredibly viscous.

The Future of Venus Exploration

It's important to note that this model is based on a single dome, Narina Tholus. However, upcoming missions like NASA’s VERITAS and DAVINCI promise to provide higher-resolution topographic data, allowing scientists to test this theory across Venus' thousands of volcanic features. These missions will undoubtedly deepen our understanding of Venus' geological processes and its divergent evolutionary path compared to Earth.

By unraveling the mysteries of Venus' pancake volcanoes, we gain valuable insights into the complex interplay between a planet's crust, its volcanic activity, and its overall evolution. Understanding why Venus became the hellish world it is today may ultimately help us safeguard the future of our own, far more hospitable, planet.

Tags: Venus volcanoes, Pancake domes, Narina Tholus, Volcanic activity, Magellan mission, Planetary geology, Lava flows, Venus crust, Flexure, NASA

Source: https://gizmodo.com/the-strange-secret-behind-venus-pancake-volcanoes-2000608733