accretion disk
noun
variants
or less commonly accretion disc
plural accretion disks also accretion discs
: a disk of usually gaseous matter surrounding a massive celestial object (such as a black hole) in which the matter gradually spirals in toward and accretes onto the object as a result of gravitational attraction
Evans' team studied a supermassive black hole with jets 800 million light-years away named 3C 33. They never found an expected X-ray pattern … which results from light reflecting off the accretion disk.—
Bill Andrews
Bill AndrewsMost other moons are either captured planetesimals, or they formed along with the planet in a common accretion disc.—Daniel Herwartz, et al.
Daniel Herwartz, et al.Examples of accretion disk in a Sentence
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Then, in 2023, the accretion disk cooled back down again, resulting in the dimming, although matter continues to flow from the disk to the white dwarf at a slower rate.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025
While black holes are invisible, the flares unleashed by the swirling disk of hot gas and dust, or accretion disk, that orbits Sagittarius A* resemble a pyrotechnic extravaganza.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025
The team also found that the strength of the magnetic field increased the brightness of the black hole's accretion disk.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Feb. 2025
Studying flares in accretion disks like those of Sagittarius A* can help scientists learn more about black holes in general, says Dr. Moiya McTier, an astrophysicist.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 20 Feb. 2025
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Keith Cooper, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025
While black holes are invisible, the flares unleashed by the swirling disk of hot gas and dust, or accretion disk, that orbits Sagittarius A* resemble a pyrotechnic extravaganza.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 19 Feb. 2025
The team also found that the strength of the magnetic field increased the brightness of the black hole's accretion disk.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Feb. 2025
Studying flares in accretion disks like those of Sagittarius A* can help scientists learn more about black holes in general, says Dr. Moiya McTier, an astrophysicist.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for accretion disk
Cite this Entry
“Accretion disk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accretion%20disk. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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