Venus is sometimes characterized as Earth's ‘twin’ because of its close proximity in solar system location (∼ 0.72 AU heliocentric distance compared to 1.0 AU) and its similar size (∼ 6053 km radius compared to ∼ 6371 km radius), but other close resemblances are few. Besides the more obvious atmospheric composition and pressure differences, and the related extreme temperatures at the surface described elsewhere in this volume, events in the history and evolution of the interior of Venus have left that planet with practically no intrinsic magnetic field. The consequences for the space environment and atmosphere are numerous, ranging from the presence of an ‘induced’ magnetotail in the wake, to an ionosphere and upper atmosphere that are constantly being scavenged by the passing solar wind.
Interior
Venus, like the other terrestrial planets, was presumably accreted from iron and silicate-bearing planetesimals some 4.5 billion years ago. These new planets are all likely to have...
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Interplanetary magnetic field; Ionosphere; Magnetism; Magnetometry; Mariner missions; Pioneer Venus missions; Venera missions
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Luhmann, J.G., Russell, C.T. (1997). Venus: Magnetic field and magnetosphere . In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4520-4_440
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