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K. M. Kratter (Barnard College), L. M. Carter, D. B. Campbell (Cornell University)
The 800 km diameter corona Quetzalpetlatl is located in Lada Terra at 68\circS, 357\circE. It is characterized by vast, radar-bright lava flows stretching to the south-east for over 1500 kilometers and covering a total area of nearly 600,000 square kilometers. Magellan SAR images covered only a portion of the Quetzalpetlatl flows, but 12.6-cm Arecibo radar data from March 2001 gives complete coverage of the flow field and surrounding area. These observations are the highest resolution radar imagery of this region on Venus, and they fill in a large section of the latitude-longitude gap left by Magellan. With these new data, we examine the circular polarization properties of the Quetzalpetlatl flows for comparison with other flows on Venus as well as terrestrial lava flows. Our analysis suggests that Quetzalpetlatl is primarily a source for flows with 13-cm scale roughness properties similar to terrestrial pahoehoe, and which appear to have traveled down a system of channels or tubes until reaching an unresolved tectonic boundary. We also identify new impact crater candidates in the vicinity of Quetzalpetlatl.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #4
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.