ABSTRACT

Analysis of Magellan data revealed two conundrums regarding the planet Venus. First, there is ample evidence of horizontal crustal movement, but Venus does not currently have plate tectonics. Second, the global distribution of impact craters, a proxy for surface age, is statistically nearly indistinguishable from random, but the geologic provinces are not randomly distributed. Many geodynamic models for the planet have been put forth to explain these conundrums. Key constraints on these models are the past history of Venusian volcanism and its current nature. I will provide an overview of the present state of knowledge, including our recent discovery of active volcanism, and what new information we can expect from the two planned orbital Venus missions that have NASA participation.

About the Speaker:

Robert Herrick is a Research Professor in the Institute of Northern Engineering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He came to UAF in 2004 after working for over a decade at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. He has a doctorate in Geophysics from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he had the opportunity to participate in the Magellan mission to Venus as a graduate student. His research interests are all-things Venus geoscience and impact cratering throughout the solar system.