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Thermodynamic Modeling of Alterations During Climate Transition Reveals Evidence of Past Temperate Conditions on Venus
  • Haskelle Trigue White,
  • Vincent F Chevrier
Haskelle Trigue White
University of Washington

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Vincent F Chevrier
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
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Abstract

We modeled the thermodynamic evolution of the venusian crust in the presence of an atmosphere and paleo-ocean during a potential climate transition to its present uninhabitable state. We show that the present-day atmospheric composition of Venus is reproduced by the interaction between a paleo-ocean and crust during a runaway greenhouse. The evolution of oxygen fugacity with increasing surface temperatures converges with the present-day value (10-20 bar) at current temperatures (400-500°C). Other atmospheric species (CO, CH4, H2S, SO2) show varying behavior depending on RedOx, but are consistent with increasing oxygen fugacity. Low-pressure conditions result in the genesis of unique mineral parageneses, including tremolite and zeolites, that could survive on Venus over geological timescales and are indicative of stable liquid water in the past if detected by future missions. Therefore, the resulting venusian mineralogy in our models could be markers of past habitable conditions that were altered by a significant greenhouse effect.
29 Jan 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
02 Feb 2024Published in ESS Open Archive