anisotropically

Anisotropically is an adverb describing a property that varies with direction. It is the adverbial form of anisotropic. Anisotropy refers to direction-dependent properties across a wide range of systems. The term derives from Greek an-, meaning not, and isotropy, meaning equality of properties in all directions. By contrast, isotropic describes properties that are identical regardless of orientation.

In materials science, many solids are anisotropic: crystals, layered compounds, wood, and fiber-reinforced composites. Their mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, and electrical and optical properties depend on orientation relative to a crystallographic axis or fiber direction. Anisotropic diffusion describes processes in which molecules diffuse more readily along certain directions. In geology, seismic velocities can be anisotropic due to layered or elongated rock structures, producing direction-dependent travel times. In biology, tissues such as muscle or nerve fiber bundles show anisotropic mechanical and transport properties. In imaging and computer graphics, anisotropic diffusion or filtering preserves edges while smoothing along specific directions.

Quantitative descriptions use tensors or invariants such as the anisotropy ratio or orientation distribution. Techniques like diffusion tensor imaging measure anisotropy in tissues; in materials science, directional moduli and conductivities summarize anisotropic behavior. Anisotropic properties are common in both natural and engineered systems, whereas isotropic behavior describes uniform properties in all directions.