Topographic comparisons of uplift features on Venus and Earth: Implications for Venus tectonics

Paul R. Stoddard*, Donna M. Jurdy

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Venus and Earth display different hypsography. We use topographic profiles to search for well-understood terrestrial analogs to venusian features. Specifically, by using cross-correlation, we correlate average profiles for terrestrial rifts (slow and fast, " ultra-slow," incipient and inactive) and also hotspots (oceanic and continental) with those for venusian chasmata and regiones, to draw inferences as to the processes responsible for shaping Venus' surface. Correlations tend to improve with faster spreading rates; Venus' correlations rank considerably lower than terrestrial ones, suggesting that if chasmata are analogous to terrestrial spreading centers, then spreading on Venus barely attains ultra-slow rates. Individual features' normalized average profiles are correlated with profiles of other such features to establish the degree of similarity, which in turn allows for the construction of a covariance matrix. Principal component analysis of this covariance matrix shows that Yellowstone more strongly resembles Atla, Beta and W. Eistla regiones than it does the terrestrial oceanic hotspots, and that venusian chasmata, especially Ganis, most closely resemble the ultra-slow spreading Arctic ridge.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)524-533
Number of pages10
JournalIcarus
Volume217
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2012

Keywords

  • Earth
  • Tectonics
  • Venus, Surface

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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