The feature was named in 1994, in honor of the 15th Century queen of Spain, Isabella I of Castile.

The end of the southern flow partially surrounds a pre-existing 40-kilometer (25 mi) circular volcanic shield.

The southeastern flow shows a complex pattern of channels and flow lobes, and is overlain at its southeastern tip by deposits from a later 20-kilometer (12 mi) diameter impact crater, Cohn.

The extensive flows, unique to Venusian impact craters, are a continuing subject of study for a number of planetary scientists.

An alternate hypothesis invokes 'debris flows,' which may consist of clouds of hot gases and both melted and solid rock fragments that race across the landscape during the impact event.