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Brian et al. 2004
Brian, A.W., Stofan, E.R., Guest, J.E. and Smrekar, S.E. (2004). Laufey Regio: A newly discovered topographic rise on Venus. Journal of Geophysical Research 109. doi: 10.1029/2002JE002010. issn: 0148-0227.

Laufey Regio is a 0.5 km high, elongate topographic rise, measuring 1000 by 2000 km, located within northern Navka Planitia, Venus. It is dominated by two large volcanoes, Var and Atanua Montes, and numerous coronae with associated flow deposits. The area has been geologically mapped, showing that large-scale edifice formation focused at Var and Atanua Montes and overlapped in time with the formation of smaller coronae. Several coronae and volcanoes have had complex and protracted histories with multiple episodes of volcanism and tectonism, supporting a nondirectional history for this region. The broad topography of the rise is surrounded by a concentric set of wrinkle ridges interpreted to have formed after the onset of centralized volcanism. Admittance studies indicate both bottom and top loading, but lithospheric parameters are not well constrained. Top-loading models give a range of 0--48 km for elastic thickness (Te) and 35--115 km for crustal thickness. We interpret the Te range as most likely indicating isostatic compensation. Bottom-loading models yield lower bounds of 30--75 km for Te and 32--74 km for the apparent depth of compensation (ADC). The combination of the large Te and low topography indicates that the plume is no longer active. Bottom loading and a small ADC may indicate that a layer of low-density residuum, produced by pressure release melting in the now extinct plume, is partially supporting the topography. On the basis of its broad, regional topography, abundant volcanism, and gravity signature, we interpret Laufey to be a volcano-dominated rise in a late stage of evolution.

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Abstract

Keywords
Planetology, Solar System Objects, Venus, Planetology, Solid Surface Planets, Volcanism, Planetology, Solid Surface Planets, Surface materials and properties, Tectonophysics, Dynamics, gravity and tectonics, Tectonophysics, Dynamics of lithosphere and mantle—general, topographic rises, Venus, volcanism
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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