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6h ago

Radar Reanalysis Uncovers First Subsurface Lava Tube on Venus

A reanalysis of Magellan radar with a new imaging method yielded the first direct evidence of an underground cavity on Venus.

Artist's impression of the NASA Magellan spacecraft making radar observations of Venus, with the data indicating the presence of a subsurface lava tube in this handout image released on February 9, 2026. RSLab, University of Trento/Handout via REUTERS
image: ©3quarks | iStock
© RSLab, University of Trento
Magellan radar image of Venus displaying several pit chains and the identified skylight, marked as A, potentially providing access to the subsurface (i.e., empty void); the white arrow indicates the radar illumination direction. Image credit: NASA / Carrer et al., doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-68643-6.

Overview

  • University of Trento researchers report the finding in Nature Communications after reprocessing 1990–1992 Magellan Synthetic Aperture Radar data.
  • The cavity is identified via a surface skylight on the western flank of the Nyx Mons shield volcano and matches radar signatures expected from an empty lava conduit.
  • Measured dimensions indicate an approximate 1 km diameter, a roof at least 150 meters thick, and a void height of at least 375 meters.
  • Only the section near the skylight is directly confirmed, while terrain clues suggest conduits may extend roughly 45 km, a hypothesis awaiting higher-resolution verification.
  • Upcoming ESA Envision and NASA VERITAS missions will carry advanced radars, including Envision’s Subsurface Radar Sounder designed to probe hundreds of meters below the surface.