Exploring Venus as a Terrestrial Planet

About this book

With the search for extra-solar planets in full gear, it has become essential to gain a more detailed understanding of the evolution of the other earth-like planets in our own solar system. Space missions to Venus, including the Soviet Veneras, Pioneer Venus, and Magellan, provided a wealth of information about this planet' enigmatic surface and atmosphere, but left many fundamental questions about its origin and evolution unanswered.

Exploring Venus as a Terrestrial Planet discusses how the study of Venus will aid our understanding of terrestrial and extra-solar planet evolution, with particular reference to surface and interior processes, atmospheric circulation, chemistry, and aeronomy. Incorporating results from the recent European Venus Express mission, Exploring Venus as a Terrestrial Planet examines the open questions and relates them to Earth and other terrestrial planets. The goal is to stimulate thinking about those broader issues as the new Venus data arrive.

Contents

Preface
      Larry W. Esposito, Ellen R. Stofan, and Thomas E. Cravens vii
Exploring Venus: Major Scientific Issues and Directions
      Larry W. Esposito, Ellen R. Stofan, and Thomas E. Cravens 1
Geochemistry of Venus' Surface: Current Limitations as Future Opportunities
      Allan H. Treiman 7
Surface Evolution of Venus
      Alexander T. Basilevsky and George E. McGill 23
Tectonic and Thermal Evolution of Venus and the Role of Volatiles: Implications for Understanding the Terrestrial Planets
      Suzanne E. Smrekar, Linda Elkins-Tanton, Johannes J. Leitner, Adrian Lenardic, Steve Mackwell, Louis Moresi, Christophe Sotin, and Ellen R. Stofan 45
Atmospheric Composition, Chemistry, and Clouds
      Franklin P. Mills, Larry W. Esposito, and Yuk L. Yung 73
Venus Atmosphere Dynamics: A Continuing Enigma
      G. Schubert, S. W. Bougher, C. C. Covey, A. D. Del Genio, A. S. Grossman, J. L. Hollingsworth, S. S. Limaye, and R. E. Young 101
Radiation in the Atmosphere of Venus
      Dmitry V. Titov, Mark A. Bullock, David Crisp, Nilton O. Renno, Fredric W. Taylor, and Ljudmilla V. Zasova 121
Venus Upper Atmosphere and Plasma Environment: Critical Issues for Future Exploration
      C. T. Russell, J. G. Luhmann, T. E. Cravens, A. F. Nagy, and R. J. Strangeway 139
Venus Express and Terrestrial Planet Climatology
      Fredric W. Taylor, Håkan Svedhem, and Dmitri M. Titov 157
Experiencing Venus: Clues to the Origin, Evolution, and Chemistry of Terrestrial Planets via In-Situ Exploration of our Sister World
      Kevin H. Baines, Sushil K. Atreya, Robert W. Carlson, David Crisp, David Grinspoon, Christopher T. Russell, Gerald Schubert, and Kevin Zahnle 171
Astrobiology and Venus Exploration
      David H. Grinspoon and Mark A. Bullock 191
Technology Perspectives in the Future Exploration of Venus
      James A. Cutts, Tibor S. Balint, Eric Chassefiere, and Elizabeth A. Kolawa 207

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