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Dejan05 t1_iu19fo9 wrote

Reply to comment by Sierra-117- in A recently released set of topography maps provides new evidence for an ancient northern ocean on Mars. The maps offer the strongest case yet that the planet once experienced sea-level rise consistent with an extended warm and wet climate, not the harsh, frozen landscape that exists today. by Wagamaga

How would it not have a hot core? Under such pressure it sounds impossible for it to not be hot to some degree

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Sierra-117- t1_iu1bhya wrote

Yes! It is still very hot, like the core of any planet. Gas giants have cores hotter than the surface of the sun.

But when you say “hot core” in planetary science, it means a REALLY hot core. As in, hotter than it should be given the pressures involved.

This excess heat usually comes from conditions experienced during formation. Earth’s core is a hot core, because we currently believe a small planet collided with the early Earth! (Though this is also still only theory).

But yes, the interior of mars is very hot. Just not hot enough to support continued volcanic activity in the mantle/crust.

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