<p>Venus is noted for its absence of spreading ridges, transform faults, and subduction zones, which are characteristic of plate tectonics on Earth. But given that it exhibits rift zones, mountain belts and other "secondary" features of tectonic activity, should it be considered tectonically active?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-23T04:25:21.293Z
check out the geography section in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus which states that our current understanding of the surface of Venus is that it has no tectonics or subduction.  However, there is evidence of intermittent volcanic activity.  I suspect that since venus does not rotate much at all, there are probably far less dynamics in the mantle and crust than Earth has.
f.thorpe
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-07T02:02:39.813Z
The answers to this [question](http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/996/what-properties-must-a-rocky-body-possess-in-order-to-exhibit-plate-tectonics/2217#2217) cover what is required for a planet to possess plate tectonics and whether Venus meets those requirements.
Lanzafame
<plate-tectonics><planetary-science><tectonics>
Can Venus be considered to be tectonically active?
decvalts
# Can Venus be considered to be tectonically active?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-10)

Venus is noted for its absence of spreading ridges, transform faults, and subduction zones, which are characteristic of plate tectonics on Earth. But given that it exhibits rift zones, mountain belts and other "secondary" features of tectonic activity, should it be considered tectonically active?

**Tags:** plate-tectonics, planetary-science, tectonics

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: check out the geography section in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus which states that our current understanding of the surface of Venus is that it has no tectonics or subduction.  However, there is evidence of intermittent volcanic activity.  I suspect that since venus does not rotate much at all, there are probably far less dynamics in the mantle and crust than Earth has.  
> **username_2**: The answers to this [question](http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/996/what-properties-must-a-rocky-body-possess-in-order-to-exhibit-plate-tectonics/2217#2217) cover what is required for a planet to possess plate tectonics and whether Venus meets those requirements.  

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