Venus: Alpha Regio Domes PIA00246
A three-dimensional perspective view of part of Alpha Regio area on the surface of Venus. 30°S, 11.8°E. This view is of an area containing seven circular dome-like hills, three of which are visible in the centre of the image. Average diameter of the hills is 25 km, with maximum elevations of 750 m.
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Image Credit: The image was produced by the JPL Multimission Image Processing Laboratory by Eric De Jong, Jeff Hall, Myche McAuley, and Randy Kirk of the United States Geological Survey, and is a single frame from the movie released at the May 29, 1991 Magellan news conference.  

A three-dimensional perspective view of part of Alpha Regio area on the surface of Venus. 30°S, 11.8°E. This view is of an area containing seven circular dome-like hills, three of which are visible in the centre of the image. Average diameter of the hills is 25 km, with maximum elevations of 750 m. The hills are thought to be the result of the eruption of viscous lava coming from a vent on a relatively level surface, allowing the lava to flow in an even lateral pattern. These features have been compared to lava domes on Earth, but they are an order of magnitude greater in size. The concentric and radial fracture patterns on their surfaces suggests that a chilled outer layer formed, then further intrusion into the interior stretched the surface. The bright margins possibly indicate the presence of rock debris or talus at the slopes of the domes.

The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft.
 
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