DESCRIPTION AND
DATA SHEET

Ridge Belt
Ishtar Terra, Venus

This Magellan stereo view of Venus shows a belt of prominent ridges near Laima Tessera. These ridges form a gentle topographic rise. They are part of a 600-kilometer-long, 100-kilometer-wide belt of closely spaced parallel ridges. The ridges are probably the traces of compression thrust faults, folds, or a combination of both. The origin of this compression is not well understood.

A set of narrow extensional graben (left) formed parallel to the ridge belt. Several ridges also extend westward perpendicular to the fold belt. These features probably formed in response to the stresses associated with formation of the ridge belt.

The 32-kilometer-wide impact crater (Geopert-Meyer) is typical of craters on Venus. A central peak and several terraces can be seen.

Location:
     58.7 N, 26.5 E
Quadrangle:
     F-MIDR 60N026
Mission:
     Magellan
Image Resolution
(Full-Sized View):
     210 meters/pixel
Image Width:
     140 kilometers
Vertical Exaggeration:
     ~6 × Normal