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Accruva Formation

The Accruva Formation is a geologic unit found on Venus. Abbreviated psh, it is also known as shield plains due to the shield like structures formed in its region. It is one of 14 formations identified by Mikhail A. Ivanov and James W. Head.

Description
The Accruva Formation is also known as shield plains because of the shield shaped structures that form in close proximity to each other. The surface of this area is notably different from the other 14 formations mapped on Venus due to the clusters of shield plains, the morphologically smooth transition from the shields to the plains in between the shield plains, and the low amount of deformation within this region, only observably containing a few wrinkle ridges. The shield structures themselves can range from a few kilometers to greater than 10 kilometers in diameter. The formation region tends to occur as equidimensional patches several tens to hundreds of kilometers across.

Formation
The shield structures are believed to be of volcanic origin. These shields typically found in close proximity with each other and will form groups of structures. The transition between the shields and the plains in between the shields is morphologically smooth and sometimes contains wrinkle ridges. This is the first unit that display no pervasive deformation. Along with the volcanic shields, slight deformation is present evidenced by wrinkle ridges and a few fractures and grabens.

Classification
The Accruva Formation was classified using the dual stratigraphic classification system. This system defines and maps rock units based on the description of the observable characteristics at the surface due to lacking other information. This is the common method used for classifying formations on other planets where we lack the necessary information to classify as we do on earth, which is classifying by its position within geologic time.

Location
The Accruva Formation covers about 79.3x10^6 km^2 or 17.4% of the area mapped on Venus. Type locations for 29.4°N, 131.0°E; 11.9°S, 335.8°E.