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| Paper: |
Divergent Evolution Among Earth-like Planets: The Case for Venus Exploration |
| Volume: |
272, The Future of Solar System Exploration, 2003-2013: Community Contributions to the NRC Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey |
| Page: |
5 |
| Authors: |
Crisp, D.; Allen, M.A.; Anicich, V.G.; Arvidson, R.E.; Atreya, S.K.; Baines, K.H.; Banerdt, W.B.; Bjoraker, G.L.; Bougher, S.W.; Campbell, B.A.; Carlson, R.W.; Chin, G.; Chutjian, A.; Clancy, R.T.; Clark, B.C.; Cravens, T.E.; Del Genio, A.D.; Esposito, L.W.; Fegley, B.; Flasar, M.; Fox, J.L.; Gierasch, P.J.; Goody, R.M.; Grinspoon, D.H.; Gulkis, S.; Hansen, V.L.; Herrick, R.R.; Huestis, D.L.; Hunten, D.M.; Janssen, M.A.; Jenkins, J.; Johnson, C.L.; Keating, G.M.; Kliore, A.J.; Limaye, S.S.; Luhmann, J.G.; Lunine, J.I.; Mahaffy, P.; McGovern, P.J.; Meadows, V.S.; Mills, F.P.; Niemann, H.B.; Owen, T.C.; Oyama, K.I.; Pepin, R.O.; Plaut, J.J.; Reuter, D.C.; Richardson, M.I.; Russell, C.T.; Saunders, R.S.; Schofield, J.T.; Schubert, G.; Senske, D.A.; Shepard, M.K.; Slanger, T.G.; Smrekar, S.E.; Stevenson, D.J.; Titov, D.V.; Ustinov, E.A.; Young, R.E.; Yung, Y.L. |
| Abstract: |
The planet Venus is our most Earth-like neighbor in size,
mass, and distance from the sun. In spite of these similarities, and the
intense scrutiny that it received early in the space age, the Venus surface
and atmosphere are characterized by some of the most enigmatic
features seen anywhere in the solar system. A reinvigorated Venus
exploration program is essential to the development of a comprehensive
understanding of the origin and evolution of Earth-like terrestrial planets.
The present NASA inner planets strategy, which focuses exclusively on
Mars, will provide an incomplete, and possibly misleading description of
processes that produce these objects. If Venus-like terrestrial planets are
common, this approach will also impede efforts to interpret observations
of extrasolar terrestrial planets, which are expected to become available
by the end of the decade. Here, we propose a Venus exploration program
that has been designed to explain the origin and divergent evolution of
the interiors, surfaces, and atmospheres of the terrestrial planets in our
solar system, and provide greater insight into the conditions that may
affect the habitability of terrestrial planets in other solar systems.
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