title: Octupolar order in two dimensions.
abstract: Octupolar order is described in two space dimensions in terms of the maxima (and conjugated minima) of the probability density associated with a third-rank, fully symmetric and traceless tensor. Such a representation is shown to be equivalent to diagonalizing the relevant third-rank tensor, an equivalence which however is only valid in the two-dimensional case.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Matematica, Università di Pavia, Via Ferrata 5, I-27100, Pavia, Italy. eg.virga@unipv.it.
authors.forename: Epifanio G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Virga