Cross-helicity ($H_c=\int \mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{B}dV$)

Cross-helicity measures alignment between velocity and magnetic field in a magnetized fluid. Its density is $h_c=\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{B}$.

Let $h_c=\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{B}$ be the cross-helicity density. The ideal magnetohydrodynamic induction equation implies $D\mathbf{B}/Dt=(\mathbf{B}\cdot \nabla )\mathbf{u}-\mathbf{B}\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}$. Dotting the momentum equation with $\mathbf{B}$ eliminates the Lorentz force density, since it is perpendicular to the magnetic field. The material derivative of $h_c$ is thereforeUsing $dh=Tds+dp/\rho$ for specific enthalpy $h$ and specific entropy $s$, together with Gauss's law for magnetism, converts this toThe source vanishes when magnetic field lines lie in constant-specific entropy surfaces, in particular in a homentropic flow. Integrating over a volume conserves its total cross-helicity only if the boundary flux also vanishes. This local law is derived in Ogilvie's astrophysical fluid dynamics notes.

In a homentropic flow, the cross-helicity conservation law givesConsequently cross-helicity density is conserved along each trajectory exactly when the right-hand side vanishes. In a steady state, mass conservation gives $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}=-\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla \log \rho$, so the criterion becomesThe absence of an entropy source in a conservation law does not alone make its density an advected scalar: compression and transport along the magnetic field still change that density.