Analysis of the Detectability of Lava Flow Formations on Venus by Subsurface Radar Sounding Simulations

Radar Sounder (RS) instruments are crucial for planetary exploration, as they can penetrate surfaces and reveal subsurface geological features. The next ESA’s EnVision mission, scheduled to be launched in 2031 for the exploration of Venus, will carry the Subsurface Radar Sounder (SRS) to profile the surface crust at low frequencies and increase our understanding of the geological history of Venus. In this context, data simulators play a key role in the prediction and interpretation of instrument-specific results, modelling different geoelectrical and morphological features in the analysed scenario. In this paper, we present a study of the SRS’s ability to detect the subsurface structures of lava flows which are one of the targets of interest. This is accomplished by examining morphological features such as their thickness and their geoelectrical properties through simulations. The results show that SRS has favourable conditions to achieve the scientific goals in detecting lava flow subsurface structures.