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Radar characteristics of the equatorial plains of Venus from Goldstone Observations: Implications for interpretation of Magellan data
Author(s) -
Plaut Jeffrey J.,
Arvidson Raymond E.,
Jurgens Raymond F.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl017i009p01357
Subject(s) - venus , radar , geology , remote sensing , reflectivity , physics , astrobiology , optics , telecommunications , computer science
Based on analyses of recent high resolution observations of the approximately 1000 km diameter Heng‐0 ring structure by the Goldstone Solar System Radar, we predict that the structure is a large corona. Calibrated values of radar backscatter coefficient (σ°) indicate lateral variations of a factor of 4 in Fresnel reflectivity in the vicinity of Heng‐0, as well as in other areas of the plains, at scales of tens of km. We predict that areas with very low reflectivity values, which occur in a variety of geological settings, are soil‐dominated, with bulk densities as low as 1.5 g/cm 3 .