Abstract
New radar images obtained from the Arecibo Observatory (resolution 1.5–4.0 km) for portions of the southern hemisphere of Venus show that: the upland of Phoebe Regio contains the southern extension of Devana Chasma, a rift zone extending 4200 km south from Theia Mons and interpreted as a zone of extension; Alpha Regio, the only large region of tessera within the imaged area, is similar to tessera mapped elsewhere on the planet and covers a smaller percentage of the surface than that observed in the northern high latitudes; the upland made of Ushas, Innini and Hathor Montes consists of three distinct volcanic constructs; Themis Regio is mapped as an ovoid chain of radar-bright arcuate single and double ring structures, edifices and bright lineaments. This area is interpreted as a region of mantle upwelling and on the basis of apparent split and separated features, a zone of localized faulting and extension. Linear zones of deformation in Lavinia Planitia are characterized by lineament belts that are often locally elevated, are similar to ridge belts mapped in the northern high latitudes and are interpreted to be characterized mainly by compression; radar-bright lava complexes within Lavinia Planitia are unique to this part of the planet and are interpreted to represent areas of eruption of high volumes of extremely fluid lava; the upland of Lada Terra is bound to the north by a linear deformation zone interpreted as extensional, is characterized by large ovoids and coronae, is interpreted to be associated with an area of mantle upwelling, and is in contrast to the northern high latitude highland of Ishtar Terra. Regions of plains in the southern hemisphere cover about 78%; of the mapped area and are interpreted to be volcanic in origin. Located within the area imaged (10–78 ‡ S) are 52 craters interpreted to be of impact origin ranging from 8 to 157 km in diameter. On the basis of an overall crater density of 0.94 craters/106 km2, it is determined that the age of this part of the Venus surface is similar to the 0.3 to 1.0 billion year age calculated for the equatorial region and northern high latitudes. The geologic characteristics of the portion of the Venus southern hemisphere imaged by Arecibo are generally similar to those mapped elsewhere on the planet. This part of the planet is characterized by widespread volcanic plains, large volcanic edifices, and zones of linear belt deformation. The southern hemisphere of Venus differs from northern high latitudes in that tessera makes up only a small percentage of the surface area and the ovoid chain in Themis Regio is unique to this part of the planet. On the basis of the analysis presented here, the southern hemisphere of Venus is interpreted to be characterized by regions of mantle upwelling on a variety of scales (ovoids, region made up of Ushas, Innini and Hathor Montes), upwelling and extension (Themis Regio) and localized compression (lineament belts in Lavinia Planitia).
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
ACSN: 1961, ‘Code of Stratigraphic Nomenclature’, Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull. 45(5), 645–660.
Aubele, J. C.: 1990, ‘Arecibo-Venera Comparison of Domes in Guinevere Planitia’, Venus (abstract), Lunar Planet Sci. Conf. XXI, 30–31.
Aubele, J. C. and Slyuta, E. N.: 1990, ‘Small Domes on Venus: Characteristics and Origin’, Earth, Moon and Planets, 50/51, 493–532.
Barsukov, V. L., Basilevsky, A. T., Burba, G. A., Bobina, N. N., Kryuchkov, V. P., Kuzmin, R. O., Nikolaeva, O. V., Pronin, A. A., Ronca, L. B., Chernaya, I. M., Shashkina, V. P., Garanin, A. V., Kushky, E. R., Markov, M. S., Sukhanov, A. L., Kotelnikov, V. A., Rzhiga, O. N., Petrov, G. M., Alexandrov, Y. N., Sidorenko, A. I., Bogomolov, A. F., Skrypnik, G. I., Bergman, M. Y., Kudrin, L. V., Bokshtein, I. M., Kronrod, M. A., Chochia, P. A., Tyuflin, Y. S., Kadnichansky, S. A., and Akim, E. L.: 1987, ‘The Geology and Geomorphology of the Venus Surface as Revealed by the Radar Images Obtained by Veneras 15 and 16’, J. Geophys. Res., 91, D378-D398.
Basilevsky, A. T., Pronin, A. A., Ronca, L. B., Kryuchkov, V. P., Sukhanov, A. L., and Markov, M. S.: 1986, ‘Styles of Tectonic Deformations on Venus: Analysis of Venera 15 and 16 Data’, J. Geophys. Res. 91, D399-D411.
Basilevsky, A. T., Ivanov, B. A., Burba, G. A., Chernaya, I. M., Kryuchkov, V. P., Nikolaeva, O. V., Campbell, D. B., and Ronca, L. B.: 1987, ‘Impact Craters of Venus: A Continuation of the Analysis of Data from the Venera 15 and 16 Spacecraft’, J. Geophys. Res. 92, B12, 12869–12901.
Bindschadler, D. L. and Head, J. W.: 1988, ‘Diffuse Scattering of Radar on the Surface of Venus: Origin and Implications for the Distribution of Soils’, Earth, Moon and Planets, 42, 133–149.
Bindschadler, D. L. and Head, J. W.: 1989, ‘Characterization of Venera 15/16 Geologic Units from Pioneer Venus Reflectivity and Roughness Data’, Icarus 77, 3–20.
Bindschadler, D. L. and Head, J. W.: 1991, ‘Tessera Terrain, Venus: Characterization and Models for Origin and Evolution’, J. Geophys. Res. 96, 5889–5907.
Bindschadler, D. L., Kreslavsky, M. A., Ivanov, M. A., Head, J. W., Basilevsky, A. T., and Shkuratov, Yu. G.: 1990, ‘Distribution of Tessera Terrain on Venus: Predictions for MAGELLAN’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 171–174.
Campbell, D. B. and Burns, B. A.: 1980, ‘Earth-Based Radar Imagery of Venus’, J. Geophys. Res. 85, 8271–8281.
Campbell, D. B., Head, J. W., Harmon, J. K., and Hine, A. A.: 1984, ‘Venus: Volcanism and Rift Formation in Beta Regio’, Science 226, 167–170.
Campbell, D. B., Head, J. W., Hine, A. A., Harmon, J. K., Senske, D. A., and Fisher, P. C.: 1989, ‘Styles of Volcanism on Venus: New Arecibo High Resolution Data’, Science 246, 373–377.
Campbell, D. B., Stacy, N. J. S., and Hine, A. A.: 1990, ‘Venus: Crater Distribution at Low Northern Latitudes and in the Southern Hemisphere from New Arecibo Observations’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 1389–1392.
Campbell, D. B., Senske, D. A., Head, J. W., Hine, A. A., and Fisher, P. C.: 1991, ‘Venus Southern Hemisphere: Geologic Characteristics and Age of Major Terrains in the Themis-Alpha-Lada Region’, Science 251, 180–183.
Esposito, P. B., Sjogren, W. L., Mottinger, N. A., Bills, B. G., and Abbott, E.: 1982, ‘Venus Gravity: Analysis of Beta Regio’, Icarus 51, 448–459.
Evans, J. V. and Hagfors, T.: 1964, ‘On the Interpretation of Radar Reflections from the Moon’, Icarus 3, 151–160.
Farr, T. G. and Anderson, R. S.: 1987, ‘Simulation of Surface Modification Processes in Arid Regions: Applications to Remote Sensing and the Study of Climate Change’, Geol. Soc. Amer. Abstracts with Program 19, 659.
Ford, J. P.: 1980, ‘Seasat Orbital Radar Imagery for Geologic Mapping: Tennessee-Kentucky-Virginia’, Amer. Assoc. of Petroleum Geologists Bull. 64, 2064–2094.
Frank, S. L. and Head, J. W.: 1990a, ‘Styles of Compressional Deformation on Venus: Examples from Ridge Belts (abstract)’, Lunar and Planet. Sci. XXI, 387–388.
Frank, S. L. and Head, J. W.: 1990b, ‘Ridge Belts on Venus: Morphology and Origin’, Earth, Moon and Planets 50/51, 421–470.
Goldstein, R. M., Green, R. R., and Rumsey, H. C.: 1976, ‘Venus Radar Images’, J. Geophys. Res. 81, 4807–4817.
Greeley, R. and Martel, L.: 1988, ‘Radar Observations of Basaltic Lava Flows, Craters-of-the-Moon, Idaho’, Int. J. Remote Sensing 9, 1071–1085.
Head, J. W.: 1990, ‘Venus Trough-and-Ridge Tessera: Analog to Earth Oceanic Crust Formed at Spreading Centers’, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 7119–7132.
Head, J. W. Adams, J. B.: McCord, T. B., Pieters, C., and Zisk, S.: 1978, Regional Stratigraphy and Geologic History of Mare Crisium, in Mare Crisium: The View from Luna 24, R. B. Merrill and J. J. Papipke (Eds.), Pergamon Press, New York, pp. 43–47.
Head, J. W. and Crumpler, L. S.: 1987, ‘Evidence for Divergent Plate-Boundary Characteristics and Crustal Spreading on Venus’, Science 238, 1380–1385.
Head, J. W. and Wilson, L.: 1986, ‘Volcanic Processes and Landforms on Venus: Theory, Predictions, and Observations’, J. Geophys. Res. 91, B9, 9407–9446.
Head, J. W., Peterfreund, A. R., and Garvin, J. B.: 1985, ‘Surface Characteristics of Venus Derived from Pioneer Venus Altimetry, Roughness, and Reflectivity Measurements’, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 6873–6885.
Ivanov, B. A., Basilevsky, A. T., Kryuchkov, V. P., and Chernaya, I. M.: 1986, ‘Impact Craters of Venus: Analysis of Venera 15 and 16 data’, J. Geophys. Res., 91, B4, D413-D430.
Janle, P., Jannsen, D., and Basilevsky, A. T.: 1987, ‘Morphologic and Gravimetric Investigation of Bell and Eisila Regiones on Venus’, Earth. Moon and Planets 39, 251–273.
Keddie, S. T., Head, J. W., and Campbell, D. B.: 1990. ‘Volcanic Centers in Northern Lavinia Planitia (abstract)’, Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XXI, 615–616.
Kryuchkov, V. P. and Basilevsky, A. T.: 1989, ‘Radar-Bright Flow-Like Features as Possible Traces of the Latest Volcanic Activity on Venus (abstract)’, Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XX, 548–549.
Kryuchkov, V. P.: 1989, ‘A System of Conjugate Strike-Slip Faults in the Ridge Belts of Venus (abstract)’, Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XX, 546–547.
Masursky, H., Eliason, E., Ford, P. G., McGill, G. E., Pettengill, G. H., Schaber, G. G., and Schubert, G.: 1980, ‘Pioneer-Venus Radar Results: Geology from Images and Altimetry’, J. Geophys. Res. 85, 8232–8260.
MacDonald, H. C.: 1980, Techniques and Applications of Imaging Radar, in B. S. Siegel and A. R. Gillespie (Eds.), Remote Sensing in Geology, Chapter 10, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
McGill, G. E., Steenstrup, S. J., Barton, C., and Ford, P. G.: 1981, ‘Continental Rifting and the Origin of Beta Regio’, Geophys. Res. Letters 6, 739–742.
McGill, G. E., Warner, J. L., Malin, M. C., Arvidson, R. E., Eliason, E., Nozette, S. N., and Reasenberg, R. D.: 1983. ‘Topography, Surface Properties and Tectonic Evolution’, in D. Hunten, M. L. Colin, T. M. Donahue, and V. I. Moroz (Eds.), Venus, University of Ariz. Press, pp. 69–130.
Morgan, P. and Phillips, R. J.: 1983, ‘Hot Spot Heat Transfer: Its Application to Venus and Implications to Venus and Earth’, J. Geophys. Res. 88, B10, 8305–8317.
Nikishin, A.: 1986, ‘Hotspot Tectonics on Venus: Implications for Rifting and Doming (abstract)’, Lunar Planet Sci. Conf. XVII, 615–616.
Pettengill, G. H., Eliason, E., Ford, P. G., Loriot, G. B., Masursky, H., and McGill, G. E.: 1980, ‘Pioneer Venus Radar Results: Altimetry and Surface Properties’, J. Geophys. Res. 85, 8261–8270.
Phillips, R. J., Kaula, W. M., McGill, G. E., and Malin, M. C.: 1981, ‘Tectonics and Evolution of Venus’, Science 212, 879–887.
Pieters, C. M., Head, J. W., Adams, J. B., McCord, T. B., Zisk, S. H., and Whitford-Stark, J. L.: 1980, ‘Late High-Titanium Basalts of the Western Maria: Geology of the Flamsteed Region of Oceanus Procellarum’, J. Geophys. Res. 85, 3913–3938.
Pronin, A. A., Sukhanov, A. L., Tyuflin, Yu. S., Kadnichanskij, S. A., Kotelnikov, V. A., Rzhiga, O. N., Petrov, G. I., Sidorenko, A. I., Alexandrov, Yu. N., Krivtsov, A. P., Sinho, V. P., Burba, G. A., and Bobina, N. N.: 1986, ‘Geological-Morphological Description of the Lakshmi Planum (Photomap of the Venusian Surface Sheet B-4)’, Astron. Vestnik, 20, 83–98.
Pronin, A. A. and Stofan, E. R.: 1990, ‘Coronae on Venus: Morphology, Classification and Distribution’, Icarus 87, 452–474.
Raitala, R. and Tormanen, T.: 1989, ‘Coronae Chain on Venus — A Hotspot Structure under a Moving Plate?’ (abstract), Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XX, 882–883.
Reasenberg, R. D., Goldberg, Z. M., MacNeil, P. E., and Shapiro, I. I.: 1981, ‘Venus Gravity: A High Resolution Map’, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 7173–7179.
Roberts, K. M. and Head, J. W.: 1990, ‘Lakshmi Planum, Venus: Characteristics and Models of Origin’, Earth, Moon and Planets 50/51, 193–249.
Saunders, R. S. and Mutch, T. A.: 1980, Extraterrestrial Geology, in B. S. Siegel and A. R. Gillespie (Eds.), Remote Sensing in Geology, Chapter 20, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Saunders, R. S., Pettengill, G. H., Arvidson, R. E., Sjogren, W. L., Johnson, W. T. K., and Pieri, L.: 1990, ‘The MAGELLAN Venus Radar Mapping Mission’, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 8339–8355.
Schaber, G. G.: 1982, ‘Venus: Limited Extension and Volcanism Along Zones of Lithospheric Weakness’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 9, 499–502.
Schaber, G. G.: 1988, ‘Elevations of Venusian Shields as Indicators of Lithospheric Thickness (abstract)’, Lunar Planet Sci. Conf. XIX, 1023–1024.
Schaber, G. G.: 1990, ‘Volcanism on Venus as Inferred from the Morphology of Large Shields’, Proceedings of the 22nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, in press.
Schaber, G. G. and Kozak, R. C.: 1989, ‘Morphologies of Ten Venusian Shields Between Lat 30 ‡ and 90 ‡ N. (abstract)’, Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XX, 954–955.
Schaber, G. G., Shoemaker, E. M., and Kozak, R. C.: 1987, ‘The Surface of Venus: Use of the Terrestrial Cratering Record’, Astron. Vestnik, 21, 144.
Schultz, P. H. and Gault, D. E.: 1979, ‘Atmospheric Effects on Martian Ejecta Emplacement’, J. Geophys. Res. 84, 7669–7687.
Senske, D. A.: 1990, ‘Geology of the Venus Equatorial Region from Pioneer Venus Radar Imaging’, Earth, Moon and Planets 50/51, 305–327.
Senske, D. A. and Head, J. W.: 1989, ‘Venus Equatorial Geologic Units (abstract)’, Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XX, 986–987.
Senske, D. A., Campbell, D. B., Stofan, E. R., Fisher, P. C., Head, J. W., Stacy, N., Aubele, J. C., Hine, A. A., and Harmon, J. K.: 1991, ‘Geology and Tectonics of the Beta Regio, Guinevere Planitia and Western Eistla Regio, Venus: Results from High-Resolution Arecibo Image Data’, this issue Earth, Moon and Planets 55, 163–214.
Slyuta, E. N.: 1990, ‘Large Shield Volcanoes (>100 km in Diameter) on Venus: Morphologic Types (abstract)’, Lunar Planet Sci. Conf. XXI, 1172–1173.
Slyuta, E. N., Nikolaeva, O. V., and Kreslavsky, M. A.: 1988, ‘Distribution of Small Domes on Venus: Venera 15/16 Radar Data’, Solar System Res. 22, 8295–8302.
Slyuta, E. N. and Kreslavsky, M. A.: 1990, ‘Intermediate (20–100 km) Sized Volcanic Edifices on Venus (abstract)’, Lunar Planet Sci. Conf. XXI, 1174–1175.
Solomon, S. C. and Head, J. W.: 1990, ‘Lithospheric Flexure Beneath the Freyja Montes Foredeep Venus: Constraints on Lithospheric Thermal Gradient and Heat Flow’, Geophys. Res. Lett. 17, 1393–1396.
Stofan, E. R. and Head, J. W.: 1990, ‘Coronae of Mnemosyne Regio: Morphology and Origin’, Icarus 83, 216–243.
Stofan, E. R., Head, J. W., and Campbell, D. B.: 1985, ‘Multiple Ring Features in Themis Regio: Evidence for Endogenic Origin (abstract)’, Lunar. Planet. Sci. Conf. XVI, 824–825.
Stofan, E. R., Head, J. W., and Campbell, D. B.: 1987, ‘Geology of the Southern Ishtar Terra/Guinevere and Sedna Planitiae Region on Venus’, Earth, Moon and Planets 38, 183–207.
Stofan, E. R., Head, J. W., Campbell, D. B., Zisk, S. H., Bogomolov, A. F., Rzhiga, O. N., Basilevsky, A. T., and Armand, A.: 1989, ‘Geology of a Rift Zone: Beta Regio and Devana Chasma’, Geol. Soc. Am. Bulletin, 101, 143–156.
Stofan, E. R., Head, J. W., and Campbell, D. B.: 1990a, ‘Beta-Eistla Deformation Zone: Analysis from Recent Arecibo Images (abstract)’, Lunar. Planet. Sci. Conf. XXI, 1208–1209.
Stofan, E. R., Head, J. W., and Campbell, D. B.: 1990b, ‘Themis Regio, Venus: Analysis from High Resolution Arecibo Images (abstract)’, Lunar. Planet. Sci. Conf. XXI, 1210–1211.
Sukhanov, A. L., Pronin, A. A., Burba, G. A., Nikishin, A. M., Kryuchkov, V. P., Basilevsky, A. T., Markov, M. S., Kuzmin, R. O., Bobina, N. N., Shashkina, V. P., Slyuta, E. N., and Chernaya, I. M.: 1989, ‘Geomorphic/Geologic Map of Part of the Northern Hemisphere of Venus’, U.S. Geol. Surv. Misc. Invest. Ser. Map I-2059.
Sukhanov, A. L. and Pronin, A. A.: 1989, Ridged Belts on Venus as Extensional Features, Proceedings of the 19th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, pp. 335–348.
Watters, T. R.: 1988, ‘Wrinkle Ridge Assemblages on the Terrestrial Planets’, J. Geophys. Res. 93, 10,236–10,254.
Wilhelms, D. E.: 1970, ‘Summary of Lunar Stratigraphy — Telescopic Observations’, U.S.G.S. Prof. Paper 599-F, F1-F47.
Wilhelms, D. E.: 1972, ‘Geologic Mapping of the Second Planet, USGS Interagency Report: Astrogeology 55, 36 p.
Wilson, L. and Head, J. W.: 1988, ‘Nature of Local Magma Storage Zones and Geometry of Conduit Systems below Basaltic Eruption Sites: Pu'u O'o, Kilauea East Rift, Hawaii, Example’, J. Geophys. Res., 93, B12, 14,785–14,792.
Zuber, M. T.: 1987, ‘Constraints on the Lithospheric Structure of Venus from Mechanical Models and Tectonic Surface Features’, J. Geophys. Res. 92, E541-E551.
Zuber, M. T. and Parmentier, E. M.: 1990, ‘On the Relationship between Isostatic Elevation and the Wavelengths of Tectonic Surface Features on Venus’, Icarus, 85, 290–308.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Senske, D.A., Campbell, D.B., Head, J.W. et al. Geology and tectonics of the Themis Regio-Lavinia Planitia-Alpha Regio-Lada Terra area, Venus: Results from Arecibo image data. Earth Moon Planet 55, 97–161 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00058900
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00058900