Thermodynamic Modeling of Alterations During Climate Transition Reveals
Evidence of Past Temperate Conditions on Venus
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.