This is an image of Venus.
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NASA/JPL

Volcanic Formations of Venus

Unlike Mars, it is not the size but the shape of the volcanoes which suggests that over its history Venus has built a thick lithosphere.

The shape of the volcanoes suggests that there has been no slumping of the volcanic features over time. An example of slumping of terrain is found on Jupiter's moon Callisto. This means that the crust of Venus has a significant amount of strength to it, and cannot be bent or deformed, as in the case of the Earth. Moreover, the lithosphere of Venus does not contain the special hydrated-minerals which are contained in the Earth's lithosphere. Thus the lithosphere cannot subduct. It stays in place and thickens by cooling gradually.


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