1. n. [Geophysics]
The loss of energy from a wavefront as a consequence of geometrical spreading, observable as a decrease in wave amplitude. Spherical divergence decreases energy with the square of the distance. Cylindrical divergence decreases energy with the distance.
See related terms: spherical divergence
2. n. [Geophysics]
In mathematics, a process in which a sequence of numbers does not tend to a fixed limit (the opposite of convergence). Divergence is a mathematical property of a vector field that is a local measure of its rate of spreading.
Antonyms: convergence
3. n. [Geophysics]
In Cartesian coordinates, divergence is the sum of the partial derivatives of each component of the vector field with respect to the corresponding spatial coordinate:
div V = ∇·V = ∂Vx/∂x + ∂Vy/∂y + ∂Vz/∂z
