Venus and exo-Venuses in the Lab

Abstract:

Venus and Earth are considered twin planets due to their similar radius and density, yet they exhibit vastly different surface conditions. The absence of key information regarding Venus hinders our ability to determine what triggered their divergent evolutions, and when this occurred. These critical questions include: Does Venus have a similar interior structure and composition as Earth? Did Venus once host an ocean of liquid water, and if so, what happened to this water? If Venus had an ocean, did it once have plate tectonics? Was Venus once habitable enough to facilitate the development of life? Is it possible that Earth will evolve into Venus? Addressing these questions is crucial to understanding planetary formation and habitability, as well as illuminating on Earth’s past and future. These questions have become even more significant as the number of exo-planets detected within the Venus zone, a region where conditions may facilitate the formation of Venus-like planets, has grown. To address some of the outstanding questions regarding Venus, many scientists have conducted experiments using instruments to simulate its temperature, pressure, and chemistry. The data obtained from these experiments have identified potential chemical and mechanical processes on Venus. This data can be used to speculate on similar processes occurring on exo-Venuses. Additionally, if several parameters of exoplanets are relatively known, such as temperature and chemistry, the methods and the instruments used to investigate Venus can be implemented to experimentally explore exo-Venuses.