CRUSTAL TECTONIC ZONE ON VENUS

Various tectonic structures to the south and southeast of Ishtar Terra indicate areal stresses. Compression from east-southeast against Isht ar Terra has resulted in ridge belt formation and surface bending at S alme Dorsa, probably along the seam between two crustal units. En eche lon fault zone indicates dextral strike-slip shear(s) resulted in the westward movement of planitia crust related to Ishtar Term Meshkenet T essera displays differential dextral strike-slip faulting where the so uthernmost bar-like blocks have had largest relative movements. Compre ssion against Tusholi Corona has resulted in foreland surface bending similar to that of Salme Dorsa. The tectonic zone as a whole resembles a dextral transform fault extending from a concave arc in the west to another concave arc in the east. The Cytherean surface, crust or uppe rmost lithosphere seems to be able to transmit stresses over distances . Deeper understanding of these processes is needed to gain a new idea of the crustal deformation on terrestrial planets.