Comparison of Mapping Tessera Terrain in the Phoebe Regio (V-41) and Tellus Tessera (V-10) Quadrangles

Tessera terrain was first described from data collected by the Venera 15/16 spacecraft. These high standing crustal plateaus are characterized by enhanced radar-scale roughness (i.e. at the 12-cm Magellan radar wavelength), low radar reflectivity and multiple episodes of deformation. Outcrops range from local exposures (100s of km across) to continent sized (e.g. Aphrodite Terra). To understand the tectonic history of these relatively old terrains, detailed geologic and stratigraphic relations have been assessed by a number of investigators. Tessera is typically mapped as a global-scale unit although significant variations in both geologic setting and character are observed. This leads to the suggestion that the rock material making up these terrains may vary across the planet. As such, we are carrying out geologic mapping of both the Phoebe Regio (V-41) and Tellus Tessera (V-10) quadrangles to ascertain their geologic history and make comparisons between these distinct upland plateaus.