What Are Multipoles? Answers & More

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the concept of multipoles, particularly in the context of multipole algorithms and their applications in calculating long-range forces, such as gravitational and Coulombic forces. Participants seek to clarify the definition and implications of multipoles, exploring both theoretical and practical aspects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about the concept of multipoles and requests information to clarify the topic.
  • Another participant provides links to external resources that may help explain multipoles.
  • A different participant explains that multipole algorithms are used to find long-range Coulombic forces through a multipole expansion of potential, emphasizing the efficiency gained by calculating interactions within grids rather than pairwise for the entire system.
  • One participant introduces the idea that gravitons, which are theorized to have an attractive force of infinite extent, may emulate a quadrupole to generate gravitational waves.
  • A participant requests to be referred to as Sulaiman, indicating a desire for personal acknowledgment in the discussion.
  • Another participant notes their interest in multipoles in relation to gravitons, highlighting a connection between the two concepts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion does not present a consensus on the definition or implications of multipoles, with multiple viewpoints and areas of inquiry remaining open and unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying levels of understanding and interest in multipoles, indicating that assumptions about prior knowledge may differ. The discussion includes references to external resources and theoretical concepts that may not be fully explored within the thread.

kyle_soule
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What is a multipole? or, perhaps, more appropriately, what are multipoles?

The whole subject of multipole algorithms is infinitely unclear to me, so literally any information will be helpful.
 
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if this can help...:smile:

http://www-aix.gsi.de/~weick/gico/gicohow/node17.html

http://mad.home.cern.ch/mad/mad/mad9/conversion/node4.html

http://www.mpip-mainz.mpg.de/~gelessus/pubs/pub4.html
 
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As Sulaiman already provided some good links on the basic idea of what a multipole is, here's a bit of the rest...

Multipole algorithms/methods generally refer to the procedures used to solve problems where you have to find the long-range Coulombic forces from a group of charges via a multipole expansion of the potential. In a more general sense, it's a way to determine pairwise interactions by essentially taking advantage of the symmetry of the problem, dividing the space into grids, and then first calculating within each grid and more or less summing up their subtotals. So, after a fashion, instead of calculating each and every pairwise interaction of a system, you only calculate the pairwise interactions explicitly within the grid so as to save yourself time and CPU/memory capacity.

Added after edit: Sorry about that, Sulaiman. :) I've fixed it now.
 
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The graviton, having exclusively attractive force of infinite extent, is supposed to emulate a quadrupole in order to generate gravitational waves.
 
As Stranger already

Can you please call me Sulaiman...thanks :smile:
 
Originally posted by Loren Booda
The graviton, having exclusively attractive force of infinite extent, is supposed to emulate a quadrupole in order to generate gravitational waves.

I was actually wondering what a multipole was because of gravitons:smile: Funny you would use that example.
 

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