A global variational approach to vortex core identification

Lucas I. Finn and Bruce M. Boghosian

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2006, vol. 362, issue 1, 11-16

Abstract: We present a global variational definition of a vortex core in three-dimensional flows, and describe its implementation for tracking principal vortex cores in a viscous fluid. Our definition is motivated by the observation that the line integral of vorticity along any path worthy of being called a vortex core is likely to be large. Inverting this observation, we define a vortex core as a curve for which this line integral is a local maximum in the space of all such curves (with appropriate boundary conditions). We present an algorithm by which candidate curves are evolved using a Ginsburg–Landau equation in order to locate vortex cores. We demonstrate the implementation of this algorithm using initial vorticity fields generated with clearly identifiable vortex cores, and evolved using a lattice Boltzmann Navier–Stokes solver.

Keywords: Vortex core; Hydrodynamics; Variational principle; Visualization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:362:y:2006:i:1:p:11-16

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2005.09.013

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