Text: anisotropy material characteristic of exhibiting different values of a property in different crystallographic directions. The characteristics of exhibiting different values of a property in different directions with respect to a fixed reference system in the material. (a) A medium is anisotropic if a certain physical quantity differs in value in. different directions. Most crystals are anisotropic electrically; important polarization properties result from differences in transmission of electromagnetic radiation in different directions. [DC99] (b) The condition in which the Universe appears different in different directions. [LB90] (c) The characteristic of being dependent upon direction. (Light coming with equal intensity from all directions is isotropic; a spotlight's beam is anisotropic.) The cosmic background radiation is generally isotropic - i.e., its intensity is the same in all parts of the sky - but small anisotropies have been detected which are thought to reflect the earth's proper motion relative to the framework of the Universe as a whole. [F88]

See Also:

Source: