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Venus is often called the shrouded planet
because of its thick cloud cover. Radar imaging has gotten through the
cloud cover, and they indicate the presence of volcanoes and volcanic plains,
and ring complexes. Theia Mons and Rhea Mons both conform to the physical
characteristics of shield volcanoes - they have low slopes and are surrounded
by ray patterns which could be lava flows. There are also lowlands
that resemble basaltic lava flows. On the lowlands, the pressure from
the atmosphere is very high. This reduces the amount that lava could
spread due to gas bubbles. The atmospheric pressure limits the extent
that Venusian volcanism can impact the planet.
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