Any of a several forms of static or oscillating distributions of charge or magnetization(noun)
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Use "multipole" in a sentence
"On the macroscopic scale, for most problems in celestial mechanics, Newtons theory of gravity, supplemented by treating relativistic effects as a small (very small) perturbation and irregularities in the mass distribution of gravitating bodies as multipole effects works extremely well."
"This can be seen everywhere from low plasma processes (where neutrals are accelerated by the rf variation of the plasma) to atmospheres (where I hear the Mars atmosphere expulsion gets a significant boost by its distorted multipole field as magnetic "pockets" are sheared off into space – Mars partial field is not protecting the atmosphere as Earth's full dipole, it is "pumping" it)."
"The heliospheric current sheet results in higher order multipole components so that the actual magnetic field at the Earth due to the Sun is 100 times greater."