Volcanic degassing of phosphorus on Venus and implications for cloud habitability
The evolution of Venus remains enigmatic. Despite the hostile surface conditions (470°C, 93 bar), the sulfuric acid-bearing clouds at ~55 km altitude may be the most habitable region in our solar system, due to Earth-like pressure-temperature conditions. The Venus Life Finder mission will soon study the proposed presence of cloud organics and assess cloud habitability. However, habitability critically depends on the availability of phosphorus. A potentially important pathway to deliver phosphorus to the clouds is through volcanic eruptions. Systematic high-temperature experiments will be conducted to study the degassing of P from Venus-like lavas and test this exciting hypothesis.
Awarded date
8 May 2025
Granting Organisations
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO)