Planetary core
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The planetary core consists of the innermost layer(s) of a planet.
The cores of terrestrial planets tend to be mainly composed of iron and can include a solid and/or a liquid layer. Earth's core is partially liquid, whilst the core of Mars is thought to be completely solid, due to its lack of an internally generated magnetic field for the last ~4 billion years[1]. In our solar system, core size can range from almost nothing (the Moon) to 75% of a planet's radius (Mercury).
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[edit] References
- ^ Luhmann, J. G., Russell, C. T. (1997). "Mars: Magnetic Field and Magnetosphere". Encyclopedia of Planetary Sciences: 454-6.
