Ike's core

[Gnipu]

So, I did a temperature scan on Ike and "near Ike". I think it measured around -70 degrees (celsius?) on the ground (can't check now and I didn't write it down).

What does this indicate?

I did not expect the temp scan to work at all.

As I'm neither a geologist or seismic person, I can't do any educated guesses - but I'm thinking hot core.

What do you think? (should I put up a lame poll? heh)

[Mmmmyum]

I'm by no means that good with this stuff but I'd wager a guess that Ike's storing heat from the Sun, and tidal heating would also play a part

[lajoswinkler]

Temperature measurement works poorly in atmospheres, and it doesn't work at all in vacuum. That's all there is to know.

[Tank Buddy]

As far as I know, the temperature scale in KSP is not particularly accurate, nor does it have any special "Scientific" anomalies like Mmmmyum suggested. The temperatures are pretty much meaningless in terms of accuracy.

[Javster]

The temperature is broken. Full stop.

[Armchair Rocket Scientist]

As everyone has said, the temperature sensor doesn't currently work.

That being said: -70 *C sounds well within the temperature range I'd expect from a body like Ike. Airless worlds have a huge temperature range depending on how much light they're getting from the sun at the moment.

However, Ike is fairly large and quite close to Duna, and it has a decent bit of orbital eccentricity. There might be some tidal heating.

[Joonatan1998]

No tidal heating in tidaly locked moons.

[Brotoro]

No tidal heating in tidaly locked moons.

Tidally locked moons will still get some tidal heating, in general, because the tidal bulges that they raise on their primaries (the planet they orbit) will cause the moon's orbit to change, and the planet acts to keep the moon's rotation in sync with the new orbital period. Also, if the orbit is elliptical, there will still be tidal flexing of the moon even if it's tidally locked.

And if you have a situation like Jupiter, the tidally-locked moons receive quite a lot of tidal heating because the other moons mess with each others' orbits.

What is important in the case of Ike is that Duna is ALSO tidally locked to Ike, so the only tidal heating effect that you'll get in this case is because of the tiny eccentricity of Ike's orbit (discounting the effects other planets have on the Duna/Ike system). So I would expect very little tidal heating of Ike.

[lincourtl]

Ike's core is made of pure evil. I base this on the fact that no matter how I come into Duna SOI, Ike always stands between me and Duna orbit.

[FITorion]

the temperature data in KSP is a place holder and is pretty much meaningless.

[Dooz]

Ikes core is maybe made of mystery goo or insanely dense matter