Interior layer
Mantle
The thick layer between core and crust, made of hot rock that, though solid, flows over geological time. Its slow convection carries heat outward and drives the tectonics and volcanism that resurface a planet.
Worlds, layers & processes
Across comparative planetology
Knowledge connections
- Associated withEarth
- Associated withPlate Tectonics
- Associated withVolcanism
- Associated withPlate Tectonics
- Associated withVolcanism
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.