An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The channel through which matter is accreted onto a body such as a → protostar, → white dwarf, → neutron star, or → black hole.
The accreting body possesses magnetic fields strong enough to disrupt the → accretion flow and carry the material through column-shaped channels directly on to a small fraction of the stellar surface near the magnetic poles.

See also: → accretion; → column.