33. Sif Mons Volcano, Venus

This view of the volcano Sif Mons (24°N, 352°E) was obtained by combining Magellan altimetric measurements and a radar backscatter image. Sif Mons is about 2 kilometers high and about 300 kilometers in diameter. A series of bright and dark lava flows extends for a distance of approximately 120 kilometers from the summit area, suggesting very fluid lavas. If Venus lava flows have the same structures as those on the Earth, the bright lava flows may be a’a lava, while the darker flows may be pahoehoe. Note that the vertical scale of the image has been exaggerated to accentuate the subtle relief of the volcano.

JPL Magellan MGN P-37342.

Right click here to download a high-resolution version of the image (11.4 MB)