Divergence of a flow ($\mathrm{div}\theta$)

The divergence of a flow at a vertex $v$ is net outward flow. For original nonnegative edge amounts and their signed net record, respectively,Positive divergence of a flow means net supply, negative divergence of a flow means net demand, and zero is flow conservation. This is the same sign convention as flow balance.

In the running example, the divergences of a flow at $(s,a,b,t)$ are $(5,0,0,-5)$. Adding the four divergences of a flow gives zero: every edge contributes positively at one endpoint and negatively at the other. In a finite flow network, this cancellation explains why net supply at $s$ equals net demand at $t$.

Flow conservation requires equal total inflow and outflow at every vertex other than the source and sink:Equivalently, the divergence of a flow is zero there.^[ref]

This is a steady accounting condition: an intermediate vertex neither creates the routed resource nor accumulates it. Splitting is allowed; equality between individual incoming and outgoing edges is not required. For the running flow, the equation at $a$ is $f_{sa}=f_{ab}+f_{at}$, or $3=1+2$, and at $b$ it is $f_{sb}+f_{ab}=f_{bt}$, or $2+1=3$.

Capacity constraints alone do not ensure flow conservation. For instance, changing only $f_{ab}$ from $1$ to $0$ keeps every edge amount within its flow network edge capacity, but leaves an excess inflow of $1$ at $a$ and an excess outflow of $1$ at $b$. It is therefore not a feasible flow. Changing all affected edge amounts together to $(f_{sa},f_{sb},f_{ab},f_{at},f_{bt})=(2,2,0,2,2)$ restores both equations and gives flow value $4$.