Topographic flexure in response to vertical loads reveals key lithospheric properties, including elastic thickness and the heat flow from the interior. Flexural stresses that depend on elastic thickness may in turn control volcano morphology. One previous study predicted that steep-sided domes on Venus usually form where the elastic thickness is ∼15–40 km. Coronae and large volcanoes may typically form at regions with lower and higher elastic thickness, respectively. We surveyed flexural signatures around steep-sided domes and confirmed this hypothesis. Specifically, we extracted radial profiles of topography from Magellan altimetry data and a new elevation model derived from stereo images. Nearly 20% of the identifiable domes had topographic profiles that were amenable to flexural interpretations. We determined elastic thicknesses using a curve-fitting algorithm and plate bending models that treat each volcano as either a Cartesian line load or an axisymmetric disc load. We used a yield strength envelope featuring brittle failure and ductile flow at the top and bottom of the lithosphere, respectively, to convert elastic thickness into mechanical thickness and surface heat flow. The average elastic thickness for domes not near coronae is ∼30 km, corresponding to a heat flow of ∼60 mW/m². Coronae on Venus are typically associated with elastic thicknesses of <10–15 km. Domes near coronae yielded elastic thicknesses in that range, and higher heat flows than domes not near coronae. Ultimately, flexural signatures are probably abundant around volcanic and tectonic features and would be further revealed in higher-resolution topographic data.

中文翻译：

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对金星陡峭圆顶火山岩石圈弯曲的全球调查揭示了中等弹性厚度

响应垂直载荷的地形弯曲揭示了关键的岩石圈特性，包括弹性厚度和来自内部的热流。取决于弹性厚度的弯曲应力可能反过来控制火山形态。之前的一项研究预测，金星上陡峭的圆顶通常形成在弹性厚度约为 15-40 公里的地方。日冕和大型火山通常分别形成在弹性厚度较低和较高的区域。我们调查了陡峭圆顶周围的弯曲特征并证实了这一假设。具体来说，我们从麦哲伦测高数据中提取了地形的径向剖面，并从立体图像中提取了一个新的高程模型。近 20% 的可识别圆顶具有适合弯曲解释的地形剖面。我们使用曲线拟合算法和板弯曲模型确定弹性厚度，将每个火山视为笛卡尔线载荷或轴对称圆盘载荷。我们使用分别在岩石圈顶部和底部具有脆性破坏和韧性流动的屈服强度包络线，将弹性厚度转换为机械厚度和表面热流。不靠近日冕的圆顶的平均弹性厚度约为 30 公里，对应的热流约为 60 mW/m² . 金星上的日冕通常与 <10-15 公里的弹性厚度相关。靠近日冕的圆顶在该范围内产生弹性厚度，并且比不靠近日冕的圆顶具有更高的热流。最终，弯曲特征可能在火山和构造特征周围很丰富，并将在更高分辨率的地形数据中进一步揭示。