Venus radar for subsurface and ionosphere sounding (VENSIS)

As a subsurface sounder, VENSIS would obtain fundamentally different kinds of geologic Information than Magellan. Mapping of Interfaces of geologic units (e.g. tessera, plains, lava flows, impact debris) could be extended into the third dimension. Reflectivity variations recorded at the surface by Magellan are likely to extend into subsurface, providing dielectric contrast at interfaces. The VENSIS sounder would also snow detailed characterization of the Venus Ionosphere using active sounding in a frequency range of 100 kHz to 6.5 MHz. In a passive mode, VENSIS can be used to detect lightning the presence of which remains both controversial and critical to understanding the behavior of the atmosphere and the possibility of present day Volcanism. In this paper the Scientific Objectives are described and the system performance am analyzed.