@misc{Mason:2026:10.5194/epsc2026-406,
author = {Mason, PJ},
doi = {10.5194/epsc2026-406},
title = {Defining Envision’s Regions of Interest (ROI): from a community-led feature list to a targeted imaging strategy},
type = {Other},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-406},
year = {2026}
}

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TY  - GEN
AB  - <jats:p>ESA’s Envision mission is a holistic investigation of Venus’ interior, surface and atmosphere, aimed at improving our understanding of the geodynamic, geological and climatic history and activity of our nearest planetary neighbour. To achieve that, we need a series of complimentary observations at global, regional and local scales, from different instruments and in different modes, and repeated observations for change detection. Envision will carry an integrated instrument suite of spectrometers (VenSpec), a Subsurface Radar Sounder (SRS) and a Synthetic Aperture Radar (VenSAR) that will collect these data. This will be further complemented by gravity and radio occultation observations using the satellite communications system to Earth.Whilst we would like to image the entire planet at high resolution using the SAR instrument, that is not feasible in the 6-sidereal-day nominal mission life, hence Envision’s imaging strategy is targeted: collecting nested, multi-modal images which will be used to answer its complex science questions. At least 20% of the surface of Venus will be imaged using the SAR at 30 m spatial resolution (twice and at different angles, for generation of stereo topography for at least 18% of the surface) with a smaller fraction imaged a third time (for change detection) or at dual-polarisation, and an even smaller fraction imaged at 10 m resolution for detailed geomorphological analysis. The stereo-derived topography and Envision’s near-global altimetry data will be vital to answer science questions involving Envision’s other instruments and for its holistic science investigations. Considering EnVision’s overall scientific objectives, as well as individual instrument goals, synergies, and limitations, the key question then becomes how we decide which areas should be imaged and in which modes?The Envision Science Working Team (SWT) formed an ROI Working Group (ROIWG), which was tasked with compiling
AU  - Mason,PJ
DO  - 10.5194/epsc2026-406
PY  - 2026///
TI  - Defining Envision’s Regions of Interest (ROI): from a community-led feature list to a targeted imaging strategy
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-406
UR  - https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc2026-406
ER  - 

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