Definition
Ablation is the erosion of the surface of a solid object in a flow (e.g., during the entrance of an object into the atmosphere) through some physical process, such as formation of a fusion crust, vaporization, or friction.
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Rouan, D. (2015). Ablation. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_5
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