Ablation

Ab·la·tion

Ablation

n.
  1. A carrying or taking away; removal.
  2. Extirpation. (Med.)
  3. Removing or destroying of a body tissue, especially by a surgical procedure. (Med.)
  4. Wearing away; superficial waste, as of glacial ice or snow. (Geol.)
  5. Wearing away of the outer layers of a protective shield or surface by the heat and aerodynamic forces caused by flying through the atmosphere at hypersonic speed, as during reentry from space; as, ablation of the heat shield during reentry. (Aerospace)