Data di Pubblicazione:
2023
Citazione:
A review on octupolar tensors / G. Gaeta, E.G. Virga. - In: JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. A, MATHEMATICAL AND THEORETICAL. - ISSN 1751-8113. - 56:36(2023 Sep 08), pp. 363001.1-363001.70. [10.1088/1751-8121/ace712]
Abstract:
In its most restrictive definition, an octupolar tensor is a fully symmetric
traceless third-rank tensor in three space dimensions. So great a body of works
have been devoted to this specific class of tensors and their physical applications
that a review would perhaps be welcome by a number of students. Here,
we endeavour to place octupolar tensors into a broader perspective, considering
non-vanishing traces and non-fully symmetric tensors as well. A number
of general concepts are recalled and applied to either octupolar and higherrank
tensors. As a tool to navigate the diversity of scenarios we envision, we
introduce the octupolar potential, a scalar-valued function which can easily
be given an instructive geometrical representation. Physical applications are
plenty; those to liquid crystal science play a major role here, as they were the
original motivation for our interest in the topic of this review.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
third-rank tensors; harmonic tensors; generalized eigenvectors; generalized eigenvalues; octupolar potential; multipoles; generalized liquid crystal phases;
Elenco autori:
G. Gaeta, E.G. Virga
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