The Seismogenic Thickness of Venus

Abstract

Growing evidence that volcanism is currently ongoing on Venus suggests that the sister planet of the Earth may also be seismically active. Given the success of seismic measurements on Mars and the Moon to reveal the interior structure of these bodies, seismic investigations on Venus are a natural next step. The potential for seismic activity is closely linked to the thickness of the so-called seismogenic layer, that is, the region where rocks behave in a brittle manner and quakes can nucleate. On Earth, the seismogenic thickness is correlated with the thermal structure of the lithosphere, and is typically associated with the depth of the 600°C isotherm. Here, we combine geophysical constraints with thermal evolution models to estimate the thermal structure of Venus' lithosphere and determine the corresponding seismogenic thickness. Taking all estimates into account, our results show that the seismogenic thickness overall varies from 2 to 35 km. The lowest values are associated with areas that probably correspond to local thermal anomalies associated with magmatic processes. This interpretation is corroborated by geodynamic models, which show that intrusive magmatism can largely increase the temperature within the lithosphere at local scales. The seismogenic layer is thickest at volcanic plains which are commonly associated with regions of mantle downwellings. In these regions, the seismogenic layer likely reaches Venus' mantle, while in areas with a thick crust or anomalously high thermal gradients, quakes might be limited to the crust. Our study provides evidence that Venus has a substantial seismic potential.