 Solution

Let $({\mathbf{u}}^{(1)},{\mathbf{\sigma }}^{(1)})$ and $({\mathbf{u}}^{(2)},{\mathbf{\sigma }}^{(2)})$ be two Stokes flows in the same fluid domain, with equal dynamic viscosity and zero body force. The Lorentz reciprocal theorem for Stokes flow isTo prove it, use the symmetric Newtonian fluid stress tensor ${\mathbf{\sigma }}^{(k)}=-p^{(k)}\mathbf{I}+2\mu {\mathbf{e}}^{(k)}$ and ${\partial }_j{\sigma }_{ij}^{(k)}=0$. Incompressibility removes the pressure contraction, while symmetry removes the antisymmetric velocity gradient. ThereforeThe divergence theorem proves the boundary identity. It applies to an exterior domain by a limit at infinity; the boundary integral there vanishes for decaying rigid-body Stokes flows.

Use a normal directed outward from the fluid, into the rigid body. Then $\mathbf{F}=\int \mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n}dS$ and $\mathbf{G}=\int \mathbf{r}\times (\mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n})dS$ are the force and couple exerted by the body on the fluid. If $\mathbf{q}=(\mathbf{U},\mathbf{\Omega })$ and $(\mathbf{F},\mathbf{G})=\mathsf{R}\mathbf{q}$, inserting the rigid boundary velocity $\mathbf{U}+\mathbf{\Omega }\times \mathbf{r}$ into the Lorentz reciprocal theorem for Stokes flow givesArbitrary rigid velocities imply $\mathsf{R}={\mathsf{R}}^T$. A separate integration by parts, using the Stokes equation, givesEquality requires zero rate-of-strain tensor everywhere. Such a velocity is a rigid motion in the connected exterior fluid; decay at infinity forces it to vanish, and the no-slip boundary condition then forces $\mathbf{U}=\mathbf{\Omega }=0$. Hence the resistance matrix is symmetric positive definite. Defining force as fluid-on-body would reverse its sign, so the positive convention matters.

For the rods, choose body axes along $OA$, $OB$, and their normal. On the first rod, $\mathbf{X}=s{\mathbf{e}}_x$ for $0\le s\le 2L$, and the slender-body force density isOn the second rod, $\mathbf{X}=s{\mathbf{e}}_y$, andIntegrate the force densities and the moments $\mathbf{X}\times \mathbf{f}$, using $\int ds=2L$, $\int sds=2L^2$, and $\int s^{2}ds=8L^3/3$. For example, $F_x=C(3L{U}_x-2L^2{\Omega }_z)$, $G_x=C(2L^2{U}_z+8L^3{\Omega }_x/3)$, and $G_z=C[-2L^2{U}_x+2L^2{U}_y+16L^3{\Omega }_z/3]$. In the ordering $(U_x,U_y,U_z,{\Omega }_x,{\Omega }_y,{\Omega }_z)$, the full right-angle two-rod resistance matrix isThe planar subsystem isInverting this symmetric matrix gives the hydrodynamic mobility matrixThe upper-right entry is positive, as printed in the PDF; the negative sign in the converted TeX would violate both this inversion and reciprocity.

Let laboratory $X$ point along the initial $OA$ and laboratory $Y$ point upward. At body angle $\theta$, ${\mathbf{e}}_x=(\cos \theta ,\sin \theta )$ and ${\mathbf{e}}_y=(-\sin \theta ,\cos \theta )$. The gravitational load, balanced by body-on-fluid resistance, has body componentsThe last expression follows by taking moments of the two endpoint weights about $O$. Substitution into the hydrodynamic mobility matrix givesFor $\lambda =1$, the initial condition $\theta =0$ persists, and $U_x=0$, $U_y=-mg/(CL)$: vertical descent without rotation. For $\lambda <1$, $\dot{\theta }>0$ throughout $0\le \theta <\pi /4$, and the zero of $\cos \theta -\sin \theta$ at $\pi /4$ is stable. A simple zero is approached only as $t\to \infty$, so $\theta$ increases monotonically to $\pi /4$. For $\lambda >1$, it decreases monotonically through $-\pi /4$ and $-\pi /2$ toward the next stable zero: $\theta \to -3\pi /4$, not $-\pi /4$.

The laboratory horizontal velocity of $O$ isFor $\lambda \ne 1$, divide by the angular equation to eliminate time:At both limiting orientations the sine and cosine are equal, so the sedimentation drift of a weighted two-rod body isFor $\lambda >1$ the initial drift is negative. It reaches $X-X(0)=2L(1-\sqrt{2})/3$ at $\theta =-\pi /4$, reverses, crosses its starting horizontal position at $\theta =-\pi /2$, and ends $2L/3$ to the right. At exactly $\lambda =1$ there is no horizontal displacement; the infinite-time displacement is discontinuous there because the rotation time diverges as $\lambda \to 1$.