What is accretion in geology?
Accretion describes the process by which fragments of tectonic plates are added to the continent at a plate tectonic boundary. This can happen at a subduction zone, where material is scraped off of the downgoing plate (see Juan de Fuca plate, above) and added onto the overriding plate (see accretionary wedge, above).
Accretion describes the process by which fragments of tectonic plates are added to the continent at a plate tectonic boundary. This can happen at a subduction zone, where material is scraped off of the downgoing plate (see Juan de Fuca plate, above) and added onto the overriding plate (see accretionary wedge, above).