A Global Catalog of Deformed Volcanoes on Venus

Gravitational instabilities can develop at volcanoes of any size, in any geologic setting and can lead to various types of volcano deformation, ranging from small-scale landslides on the flanks of the edifice, to large, deep-seated sector collapses. As volcanoes grow, they impose an increasing load on the underlying basement and lithosphere resulting in styles of gravitational deformation wherein the edifice sags under its own weight or spreads outward. In this study, we utilize our previously developed global catalog of volcanoes on Venus (Hahn & Byrne, 2023), to analyze a subset of edifices that appear to have undergone gravitational deformation. We identify 162 volcanoes displaying morphological evidence of gravitational deformation, and classify them into four main categories based on associated deformational structures: landsliding, sector collapse, sagging, and spreading. Through structural mapping and spatial analysis, coupled with comparative studies, we aim to quantify the various types and potential drivers of volcano gravitational collapse on Venus, shedding light on the processes of volcano evolution and collapse on the second planet.