Assessment of “Meteor Airburst” Radiation in the Atmosphere of Venus

In addition to craters, radar-bright and dark spots are observed on the surface of Venus. Their formation is presumed to be caused by the effects of shock waves generated by “meteor airbursts.” One reason for the formation of dark spots, which correspond to a smoother surface, could be the melting and evaporation of the surface layer due to radiation from the shock wave. Direct calculations of the fragmentation and deceleration of asteroids with sizes of 0.6–1 km conducted in this work, along with assessments of the resulting radiation and its effect on the surface, have shown that within an area with a characteristic size of several tens of kilometers, the thickness of the evaporated/melted layer is several centimeters. The flow of the melt and the deposition of condensed vapors can significantly smooth the surface and affect its reflective properties.