Detecting Volcanic Activity on Venus through Magellan Radar Observations
Davide Sulcanese 1,2, Giuseppe Mitri 1,2, Marco Mastrogiuseppe 3,4
Affiliations: 1 Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Geologia, Università d'Annunzio, Pescara, Italy; 2 International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Università d'Annunzio, Pescara, Italy; 3 Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell\'Informazione, Elettronica e Telecomunicazioni, Università La Sapienza, Rome, Italy; 4 Link Campus University, Rome, Italy.
Presentation type: Talk [Invited]
Presentation time: Tuesday 10:30 - 10:45, Room S160
Programme No: 1.4.1
Abstract
The surface of Venus has been shaped by intense volcanic activity, which may still be ongoing. Using radar data acquired by the Magellan mission, we analyzed multiple regions to investigate potential signs of recent volcanic processes. Among the areas studied, two regions displayed significant backscatter changes: the western flank of Sif Mons, a broad shield volcano, and the volcanic plain of Niobe Planitia. Cycle 3 radar images revealed backscatter increases of up to 10 dB compared to earlier cycles, with bright features overlaying darker pre-existing flows. Topographic analysis, integrating altimetric data and digital elevation models, confirmed that these features align with regional slopes, consistent with the emplacement of new lava flows during the Magellan mission. Change-detection techniques, based on minimum error thresholding, were employed to highlight these regions and distinguish them from unaffected areas. These results provide compelling evidence of geologically recent activity on Venus and support the hypothesis that the planet remains volcanically active. They also lay the groundwork for future high-resolution investigations. The upcoming VERITAS and EnVision missions are expected to bring substantial improvements in radar detection, enabling refined modeling of volcanic processes and the planet's surface evolution.