Artemis Corona

Infobox feature on Venus
name= Artemis Corona


caption= Radar image of Artemis Corona
type= Corona
latitude=35
N_or_S=S
longitude=135
E_or_W=E
diameter=2,600 km
eponym= Artemis

Artemis Corona is a corona found in the Aphrodite Terra continent, on the planet Venus. Latitude 35° South, Longitude 135° East.

Named after Artemis, the virgin hunt goddess, it is the largest Corona on Venus, with a diameter of 2,600 kilometers. It is largely enclosed by the near circular Artemis Chasma - a predominantly compressional circular arc belts.

Artemis is an unusal feature on Venus as it has been interpreted to be the site of plate tectonics operating on a regional scale. There are grabens and compressional arcs which rise above the surrounding plains. As a whole, Artemis is not elevated like other coronae. Regions within Artemis are in fact some 4 km below the surrounding plains. The differences between the highest and the lowest point within Artemis are in the order of 7.5 km.

The central rift region of Artemis has been interpreted as a spreading zone (Britomartis Chasma) which has been offset - with clear signs of strike-slip faulting offsetting the central rift zone. Retrograde subduction is interpreted to occur at the circular arc belts of Artemis Chasmata.

Artemis is one of the prime sites worthy of further investigation concerning plate tectonics operating on Venus.

External links

* [http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00101 A picture of Artemis Corona & it's Chasma from NASA]
* A 3-dimensional profile of Artemis region See: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/venus/interior/V_coronae.html&fr=t