Venus has more similarities with Earth than previously known, tectonic activity in ‘twin planet’ reveals

In an image provided by NASA, an artist’s impression of the Pioneer mission approaching Venus. (Image: ARC/NASA via The New York Times)

Venus, which is often referred to as the Earth’s twin, given their similarity in size, mass, density, composition, and gravity, may have more in common with our planet than previously known.

Analysis of 30-year-old data has revealed that our neighbouring planet is alive and kicking. The new study, which was published in the journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), has found that Venus is not a dead planet. It is likely still geologically active, with tectonic plates as large as Alaska jostling against one another.

The team of researchers revisited observations made by the NASA Magellan probe that had orbited Venus from 1990 to 1994. A new computer model was used this time to take a relook at the features it had spotted. The new technology was able to spot surface deformations that indicated there were large block structures in Venus’ lithosphere, the study titled 'A Globally Fragmented and Mobile Lithosphere on Venus' revealed.

Though different from the Earth’s current plate tectonics, it means that there exist heat currents and molten material inside Venus. According to the authors of the study, the tectonic movement identified in Venus resembles the Earth’s geology during the Archean Eon dating 2.5 to four billion years ago. The present “pack ice” pattern of movement in Venus’ lithosphere might have been the result of an earlier period of tectonics from a time when Venus was more like Earth.

Lead author Paul Byrne, Associate Professor of Planetary Science at North Carolina State University, said: “These observations tell us that interior motion is driving surface deformation on Venus, in a similar way to what happens on Earth. Plate tectonics on Earth are driven by convection in the mantle. The mantle is hot or cold in different places, it moves, and some of that motion transfers to Earth’s surface in the form of plate movement.”

He added: “We’ve identified a previously unrecognised pattern of tectonic deformation on Venus, one that is driven by interior motion just like on Earth. Although different from the tectonics we currently see on Earth, it is still evidence of interior motion being expressed at the planet’s surface.”

This revelation about Venus comes as welcome news to the proponents of theories that Venus might have or may still have the potential to host life.

Notably, such tectonic movements have not been seen anywhere else in our Solar System.

Shedding more light on the new findings, NASA tweeted: “We have long assumed Venus has an immobile outer shell, like Mars. But new research led by NC State University indicates that Venus’ crust is more Earth-like and geologically active than we thought. Our upcoming VERITAS Mission could confirm this finding.”