Current knowledge of Venus

As an introduction to the remaining papers in this issue, a summary is given of our current knowledge of Venus, with emphasis on recent progress and on the contributions to be expected from the Pioneer Venus missions. Headings are surface and interior, clouds and lower atmosphere, dynamics and thermal structure, neutral upper atmosphere, and ionosphere and solar-wind cavity.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43770/1/11214_2005_Article_BF02186466.pd