ablating
Gradually being removed
Ablating is the present participle of ablate, meaning to remove or wear away material from a surface.
In medicine, ablating tissue means destroying it, usually through heat, cold, or radiation: The surgeon is ablating the tumor with a laser.
In aerospace, ablating refers to the protective process where a heat shield erodes deliberately during reentry, carrying heat away from the spacecraft.
Coming back in
- heat shieldBarrier against extreme temperatures
- thermal protectionDefense against temperature extremes
- charBurn without destroying
- pyrolysisHeat-driven molecular breakdown
charring · phenolic · plasma · boundary layer · sublimation · insulation · tile · composite
Abnormal tissue mass
- lesionArea of pathological change
- tissueDisposable soft paper
- laserConcentrated light device
- catheterInserted medical drainage tube
radiofrequency · electrosurgery · cardiac · arrhythmia · procedure · surgical · targeted · excision
Process of declining quality
- corrosionChemical wearing away
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
oxidation · breakdown · atrophy · decline · consumption · wear · fatigue · friction
Passing into solution
- liquefyingConverting to liquid state
- thawingFrozen matter liquefying
- sublimatingSolid-to-gas conversion
- evaporatingChanging from liquid to gas
vaporizing · softening · defrosting · shrinking · depleting · vanishing · disappearing · receding
reentry
Coming back in
- heat shieldBarrier against extreme temperatures
- thermal protectionDefense against temperature extremes
- charBurn without destroying
pyrolysis · charring · phenolic · plasma · boundary layer · sublimation · insulation · tile · composite · shockwave
tumor
Abnormal tissue mass
catheter · radiofrequency · electrosurgery · cardiac · arrhythmia · procedure · surgical · targeted · excision · cauterization
deterioration
Process of declining quality
- corrosionChemical wearing away
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- decompositionBreakdown into simpler parts
disintegration · oxidation · breakdown · atrophy · decline · consumption · wear · fatigue · friction · damage
dissolving
Passing into solution
- liquefyingConverting to liquid state
- thawingFrozen matter liquefying
- sublimatingSolid-to-gas conversion
evaporating · vaporizing · softening · defrosting · shrinking · depleting · vanishing · disappearing · receding · diminishing
weathering
Atmospheric breakdown of materials
erosive · fluvial · alluvial · deflation · sandblasting · glacier · coastal · wind · water · river
ablatingaccumulating
Gathering in increasing quantity
depositing · aggregating · building up · sedimenting · amassing
ablatingpreserving
Protecting from deterioration
protecting · shielding · conserving · maintaining · coating
ablatinggrowing
Increasing or enlarging
forming · developing · regenerating · expanding · thickening
- ablative materialsSubstances that erode protectively