WASHINGTON—Earth is an ocean world, with water covering about 71 percent of its surface. Venus, our closest planetary neighbor, is sometimes called Earth’s twin based on their similar size and rocky composition. While its surface is baked and barren today, might Venus once also have been covered by oceans?
The answer is no, according to new research that inferred the water content of the planet’s interior—a key indicator for whether or not Venus once had oceans—based on the chemical composition of its atmosphere. The researchers concluded that the planet currently has a substantially dry interior that is consistent with the idea that Venus was left desiccated after the epoch early in its history when its surface was comprised of molten rock—magma—and thereafter has had a parched surface....
↧