Active Volcanoes on Venus
2023 MAR 18
Preliminary >
Geography > Cosmology > Cosmology
Why in news?
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About Venus:
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It is the hottest planet in the solar system and its extreme temperatures (450o C) and acidic clouds make it an unlikely place for life.
Along with Uranus it spins backwards with respect to other planets i.e. its sun rises in the west and sets in the east.
Along with Mercury it has no moons and no rings.
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- Recently, NASA’s Magellan spacecraft captured images of Venus’ surface from different orbits. A few locations, including those suspected to have volcanic activity, were observed two or three times over two years
Active volcanoes on Venus:
- A study looking into decades-old radar images gave new evidence of having active volcanoes on Venus.
- A 2.2 square kilometre volcanic vent on Venus changed shape in eight months, indicating volcanic activity.
- The vent is associated with Maat Mons.
About Maat Mons:
- Maat Mons is the planet’s second-highest volcano. It sits in the Atla Regio, a vast highland region near Venus’ equator.
- These changes were likely due to lava flow escaping the vent, hinting at a possible volcanic activity.
About Magellan Mission:
- NASA's Magellan mission to Venus was one of the most successful deep space missions.
- It was the first spacecraft to image the entire surface of Venus and made several discoveries about the planet since it was launched in 1989.
Upcoming expeditions to Venus:
- ISRO’s Shukrayaan-1
- Europe's Envision (scheduled to be launched in 2032).
- NASA’s VERITAS and DAVINCI are expected to observe venus in the 2030s.
PRACTICE QUESTION:
Consider the following statements:
1. There are active volcanoes on the planet Venus
2. In Venus, sun rises in the west and sets in the east
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
