multipolares

Multipolares is an adjective used in various scientific fields to describe systems, distributions, or structures that exhibit more than two poles or centers of activity. The core idea is that the quantity of interest cannot be adequately described by a single dominant source, but instead requires multiple contributing regions or moments.

In physics and mathematics, multipolar descriptions arise in the multipole expansion, where a field or potential from a localized source is expressed as a series of terms: monopole, dipole, quadrupole, octupole, and higher orders. This approach simplifies calculations of fields at large distances or near complex geometries by separating radial and angular dependencies, often using spherical harmonics.

In chemistry and molecular physics, multipole moments quantify the shape of a molecule’s charge distribution. The dipole moment indicates polarity and affects intermolecular interactions and spectroscopy, while quadrupole and higher moments describe more subtle aspects of charge arrangement. Molecules like water have a non-zero dipole moment, whereas linear carbon dioxide has no dipole moment but a notable quadrupole moment.

In electronics and antenna technology, multipolar concepts contribute to the design of antennas and radiation patterns that achieve specific directional characteristics by combining multiple elements or modes.

In biology, multipolar neurons are nerve cells with several dendrites and typically a single axon, common in the vertebrate central nervous system and enabling complex integration of synaptic inputs.

Overall, multipolar descriptions address systems that require multiple sources or orientations to account for observed behaviors and interactions.