Venus is sometimes called Earth's twin because of its similar size and rocky composition, but even though its surface is scorched and bare today, many wonder if this planet may have once been covered by oceans.
Based on the chemical composition of the atmosphere, scientists have determined the water content of the planet's interior, which is one of the main indicators of whether oceans once existed on Venus.
Water is considered a necessary ingredient for the creation of life, so the conclusions of the study suggest that Venus has never been habitable. The data from the research does not support the previous hypothesis that Venus had a reservoir of water beneath its surface - the remnant of a lost ocean.
Volcanism, as a result of which gases are released into the planet's atmosphere, allows us to decipher the interior of rocky planets. As magma rises from the planet's middle layer, known as the mantle, to the surface, it releases gases from deep within."We believe that the habitable past would mean that the interior of Venus is now rich in water. The chemical composition of the atmosphere shows that very little water is released in volcanic eruptions on Venus, which tells us that the interior of the planet - the source of volcanism – it's dried up", explained Tereza Constantinou from the Institute of Astronomy - Cambridge University.
"There are two very different accounts of water on Venus: one speaks of a moderate climate for billions of years, with surface liquid water, and the other claims that hot Venus in its early stage of formation could never condense liquid water. ," she adds.
