Presentation: Venus hot break hypothesis

[Andre]

TL;DR Summary

Announcement Venus exchanged rotational energy into heat

The idea will be presented at the ancient Venus conference https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/ancientvenus2022/pdf/ancientvenus2022_program.htm Houston 25 Jul.

The abstract: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/ancientvenus2022/pdf/2024.pdf

Some of the earliest members may remember a thread about that here some two decades ago. They may also be familiar with the presenter.

 

[Hillbillychemist]

I have thought that a glancing collision between a proto-Mercury and a proto-Venus might explain many characteristics of the two bodies. A glancing collision of two bodies with the same rotation should be expected to cancel some or all of the rotational momentum of both bodies, perhaps explaining the slow rotation of Mercury and Venus. If the collision resulted in transfer of some of the mantle of the proto-Mercury to the proto-Venus this would explain the higher density of Mercury and lower density of Venus. https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/
Re-accretion of the transferred material to Venus might contribute to its counter rotation.
I do not have the expertise or facilities to do the necessary calculations but perhaps you do.