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accretion
(redirected from Accretion (science))

    Also found in: Medical, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.34 sec.

accretion

In astrophysics, process by which an object gathers up surrounding material by gravitational attraction, thus simultaneously increasing in mass and releasing gravitational energy. Accretion onto compact objects, such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes, can release large amounts of gravitational energy and is believed to be the power source for active galaxies. Accreted material falling towards a star may form a swirling disc of material known as an accretion disc that can be a source of X-rays. Earth, and other planetary bodies in the Solar System, are thought to have formed by accretion of nebular material and planetesimals.



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