Hot-spot evolution and the global tectonics of Venus

Journal Article · Fri May 03 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.252.5006.651· OSTI ID:5182367

Phillips, R J; Grimm, R E ^[1]; Malin, M C ^[2]

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1. Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (United States)
2. Arizona State Univ., Tempe (United States)

The global tectonics of Venus may be dominated by plumes rising from the mantle and impinging of the lithosphere, giving rise to hot spots. Global sea-floor spreading does not take place, but direct convective coupling of mantle flow fields to the lithosphere leads to regional-scale deformation and may allow lithospheric transport on a limited scale. A hot-spot evolutionary sequence comprises (1) a broad domal uplift resulting from a rising mantle plume, (2) massive partial melting in the plume head and generation of a thickened crust or crustal plateau, (3) collapse of dynamic topography, and (4) creep spreading of the crustal plateau. Crust on Venus is produced by gradual vertical differentiation with little recycling rather than by the rapid horizontal creation and consumption characteristic of terrestrial sea-floor spreading.

• OSTI ID: 5182367
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 252:5006; ISSN SCIEA; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONVECTION
DATA
EARTH PLANET
ENERGY TRANSFER
EVALUATION
HEAT TRANSFER
HOT SPOTS
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MORPHOLOGY
PLANETARY EVOLUTION
PLANETS
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SEA-FLOOR SPREADING
SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION
TECTONICS
TOPOGRAPHY
VENUS PLANET
VOLCANISM