Venus’ internal structure, temperature and core composition

The mass and radius of our closest neighbour Venus are only slightly smaller than those of the Earth indicating a similarity in composition. However, the lack of self-sustained internal magnetic field in Venus points to a difference in the core structure. The theory of tricritical phenomena has recently been used to study solidification at the high pressures and temperatures of the Earth, revealing how the Earth’s core works. This theoretical approach is here applied to Venus. While keeping Venus’ mantle density similar to the Earth’s, one obtains the gravitational acceleration g inside Venus, its moment of inertia factor, the size, pressure and density of its core, together with the planet’s temperature profile. Mainly due to the temperature difference between the core–mantle boundary and surface being 21% smaller than on the Earth, and the 11.5% smaller gravitational acceleration, Venus’ Rayleigh number Ra parameterizing mantle convection is only 54% of the Earth’s, offering a possible explanation for the present lack of plate tectonics on Venus. The theory as discussed predicts that Venus is molten at the centre, with temperature about 5200 K, and has 8 mol.% impurities there, slightly more impurities than in the Earth’s inner core boundary fluid. These impurities are likely to be a combination of MgO and MgSiO3.

► The theory of tricritical phenomena gives data for Venus’ core.
► Venus’ entire core is molten and its size is determined.
► Centre core pressure and composition is obtained.
► Earth’s and Venus’ thermal profiles are both calculated.
► Venus’ mantle Rayleigh number 54% of Earth’s, so plate tectonics suppressed.