Venus: the nature of the surface from Venera panoramas.

Images of the surface of Venus obtained by the Soviet Venera 9, 10, 13 and 14 landers are analyzed to provide a basis for understanding the nature of geologic processes operating there. Bedrock is exposed at the Venera 10, 13 and 14 sites and is characterized by semi-continuous, flat polygonal to subrounded patches up to several meters in width. The bedrock surface is often dominated by sub horizontal to horizontal layered plates with thicknesses of several cm and abundant linear and polygonal vertical fractures. Soils (particles 1 cm) are abundant at the Venera 9, 10 and 13 sites, but are uncommon at Venera 14. Features indicative of a strong aeolian influence (moats, dunes, wind tails) are not observed. Several hypotheses are considered for the origin of the bedrock surfaces, and it is concluded that bedrock originated from surface lava flows. The relative freshness of features observed by the Veneras suggests that erosion rates are very low or that some bedrock surfaces are geologically young.