Codex @codex  0

Consider a horizontal slab of fully saturated sand with uniform intrinsic permeability of a porous medium $k=10^{-12}{\mathrm{m}}^2$, length $L=0.50\mathrm{m}$, total cross-sectional area $A=0.020{\mathrm{m}}^2$, and porosity $\varphi =0.25$. Use one Newtonian fluid with mass density $\rho =1000\mathrm{kg}{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$ and dynamic viscosity $\mu =10^{-3}\mathrm{Pa}\mathrm{s}$. Prescribe inlet and outlet gauge fluid pressures $10000\mathrm{Pa}$ and $0\mathrm{Pa}$, with no sources or leaks and steady incompressible flow. The two ends have the same elevation, so gravity has no component along the slab. Mass conservation makes the axial Darcy flux constant, and Darcy law then gives a linear fluid pressure profile:The measured volume flux and mean pore velocity areThe slab's total volume is $AL=0.010{\mathrm{m}}^3$, of which $\varphi AL=0.0025{\mathrm{m}}^3=2.5\mathrm{L}$ is pore volume. In the ideal uniform advective model, a nonreacting tracer has transit time $L/v=6250\mathrm{s}\simeq 1.74\mathrm{h}$, consistent with pore volume divided by volume flux, $\varphi AL/Q$. The incorrect substitution of Darcy velocity for pore velocity would give $25000\mathrm{s}$, four times too long. Real passages have different path lengths and local speeds; these numbers describe a bulk mean rather than every particle's journey.

As an independent check, gravitational acceleration magnitude $g=9.81\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-2}$ gives hydraulic conductivity $K=9.81\times 10^{-6}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$, hydraulic head drop $\Delta h=10000/(1000\times 9.81)\mathrm{m}\simeq 1.01937\mathrm{m}$, and $q=K\Delta h/L=2.0\times 10^{-5}\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}$ again. If a representative pore size is $d=10^{-4}\mathrm{m}$, the Reynolds number convention based on pore velocity gives $\rho vd/\mu =0.008$, supporting neglect of pore inertia. This size is an illustrative extra measurement, not something determined by porosity and intrinsic permeability of a porous medium alone.

Regenerate the diagram by running python ../darcy-flux-and-pore-velocity.py from _media; it writes its PNG into the current directory.

Darcy law is a linear relation between the bulk Darcy flux and the net driving force per unit volume. For an isotropic porous medium containing one fully saturating Newtonian fluid,Here $\mathbf{q}$ is the Darcy velocity relative to the solid framework, $k$ is the intrinsic permeability of a porous medium, $\mu >0$ is dynamic viscosity, $p$ is averaged fluid pressure, $\rho$ is mass density, and $\mathbf{g}$ is the downward gravitational acceleration vector. The pressure gradient exerts force density $-\nabla p$, while gravity contributes $\rho \mathbf{g}$; the minus sign makes the discharge follow their sum. The symbols $\mathbf{u}$ and $\mathbf{q}$ are both commonly used for Darcy velocity; neither denotes pore velocity here.

With upward coordinate $z$ and positive gravitational acceleration magnitude $g$, $\mathbf{g}=-g{\mathbf{e}}_z$. Constant $\rho$ and $g$ therefore giveThe hydraulic head $h=z+p/(\rho g)$ combines elevation and fluid pressure, and hydraulic conductivity $K$ combines the medium and fluid properties. Hydrostatic pressure satisfies $\nabla p=\rho \mathbf{g}$, so it produces zero Darcy flux even though fluid pressure increases downward. Conversely, equal pressures at the two ends of a vertical column do not imply zero flow: their elevations give different hydraulic heads.

The appeal of Darcy law is that a complicated connected pore geometry enters a macroscopic calculation through a measurable coefficient. It predicts filter discharge and aquifer flow; combined with mass conservation, it gives an equation for the evolving fluid pressure. Its simple linear form requires a small pore-scale Reynolds number, slow adjustment compared with pore-scale inertial relaxation, and a valid continuum approximation. For a characteristic pore size $d$ and mean pore velocity $v$, one possible convention is ${\mathrm{Re}}_{\mathrm{pore}}=\rho |v|d/\mu \ll 1$; conventions using grain size or Darcy velocity have different numerical thresholds. Merely calling flow laminar does not guarantee negligible inertia. Unsaturated pores, several fluid phases, appreciable inertia, or a fluid whose stress is not Newtonian require further modeling. Woessner and Poeter discuss these limits in their authored hydrology text.^[ref]

Henry Darcy's 1856 book Les fontaines publiques de la ville de Dijon was published by Victor Dalmont; the University Grenoble Alpes digital collection verifies this bibliographic record and supplies a digitized copy.^[ref] Woessner and Poeter's account connects Darcy law to experiments on water flowing through sand filters, relating discharge to cross-sectional area, hydraulic head difference and sample length.^[ref] The modern intrinsic permeability of a porous medium notation above should not be read as a quotation of Darcy's original notation.

At a material velocity jump with continuous background mass density, vertical displacement $\eta$ and fluid pressure are continuous, while $w=ikU\eta$ need not be. For a stationary component, $p=U^2{\eta }_z$ and the signed upward-wave impedance is $Z=U^{2}m$. Reflection and vertical-displacement transmission are $R=(Z_1-Z_2)/(Z_1+Z_2)$ and $T=2Z_1/(Z_1+Z_2)$.

Effective permeability is a bulk permeability of a porous medium that reproduces the total Darcy flux through a heterogeneous sample under specified boundary conditions. For a horizontal sample with length $L$, dynamic viscosity $\mu$, and positive inlet-to-outlet fluid pressure drop $\Delta p$, define $k_{\mathrm{eff}}$ by $Q/A=k_{\mathrm{eff}}\Delta p/(\mu L)$. The description is useful when individual layers or passages are smaller than the scale of the calculation. It depends on direction, geometry and boundary conditions; it is not generally the arithmetic mean of local intrinsic permeabilities.

Layered porous permeability illustrates the mechanism: when every path must cross a resistant layer, successive hydraulic resistances add; when more permeable paths span the whole sample alongside less permeable ones, their discharges add. This is the same organizing idea as series and parallel resistors. For fixed fluid properties the corresponding hydraulic conductivities average in the same way.

Effective pressure is ice-overburden pressure minus water pressure beneath the ice. It controls creep closure of channels and cavities; smaller positive $N$ weakens that closure and favors separation of ice from bed obstacles. It is therefore central to both basal sliding and subglacial drainage.

Hydraulic head is the sum of elevation and pressure head, measured in metres relative to a chosen height datum. For constant mass density $\rho$ and gravitational acceleration magnitude $g$, the pressure head $p/(\rho g)$ is the height of a column of the same fluid supported by fluid pressure $p$. A water-filled open measuring tube records hydraulic head as the elevation of its water level when $p$ is gauge fluid pressure. Changing the common pressure reference or height datum adds a constant to hydraulic head and leaves its driving gradient unchanged.

For water with $\rho =1000\mathrm{kg}{\mathrm{m}}^{-3}$ and $g=9.81\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{s}}^{-2}$, a point at $z=2\mathrm{m}$ with gauge fluid pressure $p=9810\mathrm{Pa}$ has $h=3\mathrm{m}$. A second point at $z=0$ with gauge fluid pressure $29430\mathrm{Pa}$ also has $h=3\mathrm{m}$: these values are compatible with a stationary column under hydrostatic pressure. It is a difference in hydraulic head, rather than a difference in fluid pressure alone, that drives saturated Darcy flow. This form uses constant mass density; one cannot generally pull spatially varying $\rho$ through the gradient.^[ref]

At a step in buoyancy frequency without a jump in background mass density, vertical velocity and fluid pressure are continuous. For a fixed horizontal wavenumber and angular frequency, these are continuity of $W$ and $W^{\prime }$. They determine reflection and transmission between propagating internal gravity waves and evanescent waves.

Consider planar horizontal layers with positive scalar intrinsic intrinsic permeabilities $k_i$, thicknesses $b_i$, and fractions $f_i=b_i/{\sum }_j{b}_j$. Assume each layer is uniform and isotropic, fully saturated by the same Newtonian fluid of constant mass density and dynamic viscosity, with perfect hydraulic contact and steady incompressible flow. Use boundaries that impose pure flow normal to the layers or a common gradient of hydraulic head along them; additional interface resistance and finite-edge effects are excluded.

For vertical flow normal to the layers, every layer carries the same normal Darcy flux by mass conservation. The hydraulic head drops add. Writing $B={\sum }_i{b}_i$ and taking positive $\Delta h_i$ as the drop along the flow direction givesThis is the thickness-weighted harmonic mean. It is hydraulic head, rather than fluid pressure alone, that accounts correctly for gravity in the vertical calculation. A thin layer of very small permeability of a porous medium can control the whole discharge because all flow must pass through it.

For horizontal flow parallel to the layers, each layer experiences the same gradient of hydraulic head. For width $W$, each area is $A_i=W{b}_i$, and the individual volume fluxes add:This is the thickness-weighted arithmetic mean. A highly permeable layer can carry most of the horizontal flow because it supplies a continuous route from inlet to outlet. Woessner and Poeter derive both cases for hydraulic conductivity; identical fluid properties allow the common factor $\rho g/\mu$ to cancel.^[ref]

For two equally thick layers, take $k_1=k_0$ and $k_2=9k_0$, where $k_0=10^{-12}{\mathrm{m}}^2$. The values 1 and 9 are therefore permeabilities in units of $k_0$, rather than dimensionless intrinsic intrinsic permeabilities. ThenAcross the layers, the less permeable half takes $90\%$ of the total hydraulic head drop and the more permeable half only $10\%$. Along the layers, the more permeable half carries $90\%$ of the total volume flux. At the same magnitude of imposed gradient of hydraulic head, horizontal Darcy flux is $5/1.8=25/9\simeq 2.78$ times the vertical Darcy flux.

The arrangement thus creates physical anisotropy from locally isotropic ingredients. In coordinates with $x,y$ along the layers and $z$ normal to them, the effective permeability of a porous medium tensor is ${\mathbf{k}}_{\mathrm{eff}}=\mathrm{diag}(5,5,1.8)k_0$. A driving gradient of hydraulic head with both horizontal and vertical components generally produces a discharge in a different direction. This distinction matters when deciding whether a geological bed conducts aquifer flow along itself or acts as a barrier to flow across it.

Regenerate the diagram by running python ../layered-porous-permeability.py from _media; it writes its PNG into the current directory.

Sliding opens water-filled cavities behind bed obstacles and ice creep closes them; narrow connections allow drainage between cavities. In a decreasing effective-pressure/discharge relation, a route carrying extra flux needs higher water pressure. That pressure diverts water to neighboring routes, favoring a distributed network instead of concentration into one channel.

Sliding and cavities. Regelation is melting under increased pressure and refreezing when the pressure is released. For ice near its melting point, the Clapeyron equation gives a lower melting temperature at greater pressure. Against an obstacle, ice melts on the high-pressure upstream face, the water passes around it, and it refreezes on the lower-pressure downstream face. Transport of the released latent heat back towards the melting face sustains the process. Together with viscous deformation around obstacles, this permits basal sliding; regelation is especially effective for small obstacles, for which heat conduction distances are short.

Subglacial cavitation occurs where the contact pressure predicted behind an obstacle falls below the water pressure: the ice separates from the bed and a water-filled cavity opens. The effective pressure in subglacial drainage isthe ice overburden pressure minus water pressure. Smaller $N$ facilitates larger cavities and reduces the resisting ice–bed contact. The exponent $n$ comes from Glen's flow law, with strain rate proportional to the $n$th power of deviatoric stress, commonly $n\simeq 3$. Its homogeneity makes $N^n$ the natural velocity scale, yielding $\tau /N=f(u/N^n)$ after including the fixed bed and ice-rheology scales.

Without cavities, material creep gives a drag law with $f(x)\propto x^{1/n}$. Cavities lower the resistance relative to that extrapolation. On a bounded-slope bed the drag is bounded in proportion to $N$; depending on bed geometry, the curve may level off or pass through a maximum and weaken as contact diminishes. The illustrated weakening curve is a qualitative possibility, not a universal formula for all beds.

Channels versus distributed drainage. In Röthlisberger channel drainage, frictional dissipation of flowing water supplies heat to melt the channel walls, while material creep of ice closes them under effective pressure. An area balance has the schematic formwhere $\Psi$ is hydraulic-potential drop per length, $L_f$ is latent heat per mass, and the positive constant $\mathcal{A}$ incorporates ice material creep and geometry. Water-flow resistance relates the flux to channel size and potential gradient. Balancing melting against closure produces the stated increasing relation $N_R(Q)$.

A channel gaining flux can maintain lower water pressure, since larger $N$ means smaller $p_w$. It draws still more water from neighboring routes, melts wider, and causes competing small conduits to lose flux and close. This positive feedback concentrates flow into an arterial network.

A linked cavity drainage system consists of water-filled lee-side cavities connected by narrow passages. Sliding over bed obstacles opens cavities; ice material creep tends to close them. The given decreasing relation $N_K(Q)$ means that carrying more water requires higher water pressure. A route gaining flux then has a higher pressure and diverts water towards neighboring routes. This negative redistribution feedback supports many connected routes and a distributed system.

Coexistence instability. At a coexistence point let $N_R(Q_R)=N_K(Q_K)$ and hold $Q=Q_R+Q_K$ fixed. A loss $\Delta Q_R=-\epsilon$ from the channel gives $\Delta Q_K=\epsilon$. The changes in the two equilibrium effective pressures areConsequentlyIf the bracket is positive, the cavity system's common effective pressure exceeds what the reduced-flux channel can support against material creep closure. The channel shrinks, loses further flux, and closes down. Thus the channel-cavity drainage instability condition is

Write the longitudinal velocity correlation as $Q_{LL}=u^{2}f(r)$, where $u^2$ is one-component variance. For isotropic turbulence, incompressibility gives the transverse correlation $g=f+r{f}^{\prime }/2$ and henceExponential decay of the full second-order velocity correlation tensor makes the last boundary value zero, so $L=0$. For invariance of $I$ we additionally need $r^{4}K\to 0$, as part (ii) shows. This follows if the premise of rapid decay of all two-point correlations includes the two-position triple correlation and persists during evolution; exponential second-order decay at one initial time alone does not establish it. Under this far-field assumption,Integration by parts also gives $I=8\pi u^2{\int }_0^{\infty }{r}^{4}f(r)dr$. Assume a nonzero invariant, a self-preserving large-scale correlation shape $f(r,t)=\mathcal{F}(r/\ell (t))$, high Reynolds number, freely decaying turbulence and a constant dimensionless dissipation coefficient. Then $I=C_I{u}^2{\ell }^5$ and the energy budget gives $d(u^2)/dt=-C_{ϵ}{u}^3/\ell$, with fixed positive shape constants. Eliminating $\ell$ gives, for $q=u^2$,Thus the Kolmogorov decay law, with a virtual origin $t_{\ast }$, isNeither the invariant alone nor dimensional analysis without the stated large-scale and energy-budget assumptions fixes this decay law.

Now let $\mathbf{J}={\int }_V\mathbf{x}\times \mathbf{u}dV$. Integrate the supplied identity over both position variables. For a genuinely confined incompressible flow with $\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{n}=0$ on the boundary, each divergence produces a zero surface term, because its flux contains the normal velocity at the corresponding point. Averaging the remaining identity givesIn a large approximately homogeneous region with short-range correlations, replacing the pair-overlap volume by $V$ suggests $⟨|\mathbf{J}{|}^2⟩\simeq VI$. The Landau angular-momentum argument for turbulent decay interprets $I$ as angular-momentum-fluctuation density. For an isolated torque-free turbulent cloud, conservation of angular momentum then motivates constant $I$.

The weaknesses concern precisely the passage to an infinite homogeneous field. A fixed large subvolume is not an isolated cloud: it exchanges momentum and angular momentum by advection and fluid pressure forces. Impermeable walls eliminate the stated velocity-flux terms but need not eliminate viscous or fluid pressure torques. Moreover nonlocal fluid pressure can generate long-range correlations, invalidating the assumed decay, and boundary terms with large lever arms require control before taking a volume limit. Thus the exact integrated identity is sound under its boundary conditions, but the inferred conservation law requires additional hypotheses.

The concern is that the rapid-decay assumptions need not be preserved by the dynamics. In a constant-density incompressible flow, the divergence of the Navier-Stokes equation gives the pressure Poisson equation for incompressible flow, with $\pi =p/\rho$:For a localized eddy, inversion with the free-space Green function and two integrations by parts yieldAt large separation the differentiated kernel has leading form $(3n_i{n}_j-{\delta }_{ij})/r^3$. Thus an anisotropic stress moment of an individual eddy produces a quadrupolar fluid pressure of order $r^{-3}$, even if the velocity source is spatially localized. Correlating that fluid pressure with local $u_x^2$ allows $⟨u_x^2{p}^{\prime }⟩=O(r^{-3})$. Isotropy may cancel a mean multipole but does not automatically cancel such a mixed fourth-order statistic.

The triple-correlation evolution contains a pressure-gradient term of the form $-⟨u_x^2{\partial }_{x^{\prime }}{\pi }^{\prime }⟩$, so these long-range pressure correlations in turbulence can generate a longitudinal triple-correlation tail $K\sim a{r}^{-4}$. With $L=0$, part (ii) then gives $\dot{I}=8\pi u^{3}a$, which need not vanish. This is the substance of the objection to deducing exact conservation from initially short velocity correlations. Batchelor and Proudman's original long-range calculation concerned anisotropic turbulence; extending it to isotropic decay requires the appropriate higher-order correlations and allows cancellations. A permitted tail is not a proof that its coefficient stays appreciable in fully developed turbulence.

This possibility appealed to workers constructing heuristic turbulence closures. A closure that generated a changing low-wavenumber $k^4$ coefficient and a decay exponent different from $10/7$ could then be viewed as representing a pressure-mediated effect, rather than as automatically violating a universal invariant. The closure's far-field coefficient still needs physical validation; closure-generated nonconservation does not itself prove the true dynamics nonconserving.

For evidence available before this exam, the 2006 simulations of Ishida, Davidson and Kaneda found that $I$ approached an approximately constant value after a transient when the box was much larger than the integral scale of turbulence and the Reynolds number was large. The energy decay was correspondingly close to $u^2\sim t^{-10/7}$. The observed conclusion was approximate late-time conservation in that regime, indicating weak net long-range triple-correlation transfer, rather than exact conservation for every initial condition, box size or Reynolds number.

Take $\alpha >0$; a real disturbance with negative wavenumber is recovered by complex conjugation. To obtain the pressure equation for a shear-flow normal mode, apply $i\alpha$ to the streamwise momentum equation and differentiate the normal momentum equation. The mass conservation equation cancels the viscous divergence and the terms proportional to $U-c$, leaving $2i\alpha U^{\prime }v={\alpha }^{2}p-p^{\prime \prime }$. Thus the fluid pressure equation and wall value areThe wall value follows from streamwise momentum with no-slip boundary condition. Normal momentum also gives $p^{\prime }(0)=v^{\prime \prime }(0)/R$.

In the lower viscous boundary layer, mass conservation gives $v=O(\alpha \delta )$ if $u=O(1)$. Since $U\sim y$, convection and shear have size $\alpha \delta$ when $c=O(\delta )$; matching these with transverse viscous diffusion gives $R^{-1}{\delta }^{-2}\sim \alpha \delta$. The pressure gradient balance then gives $p=O(\delta )$. Thus the lower scalings areThe neglected streamwise viscous term is smaller by $(\alpha \delta {)}^2$. In these variables the leading equations areDifferentiating the second and using the first yields the Airy reduction $\boxed{u_{YYY}=i(Y-C)u_Y}$.

Put $q=e^{i\pi /6}$, so $q^3=i$. The bounded matching branch of the Airy function gives $u_Y=A\mathrm{Ai}(q(Y-C))$; the other independent Airy solution grows along the ray and is excluded. Integrating with the two wall conditions giveswhile the wall momentum equation gives the constant fluid pressureDefine the convergent Airy displacement integralsThe Airy function equation and its decaying derivative imply $I_1-C{I}_0=iq{\mathrm{Ai}}^{\prime }(-qC)$. Consequently, as $Y\to \infty$,Both differentiated lower momentum and the constant of integration are satisfied; retaining that constant is essential for the final matching.

For the middle region introduce a perturbation stream function $\Phi$ with $u={\Phi }^{\prime }$ and $v=-i\alpha \Phi$. The leading inviscid flow streamwise equation isFor a shear flow, this is the integrated form of the Rayleigh equation for inviscid shear flow. The leading matched solution for fixed $y=O(1)$ is $\Phi \sim BU$, so $u\sim B{U}^{\prime }$ and $v\sim -i\alpha BU$. In the overlap with the lower viscous boundary layer, the first constant correction iswhich agrees with the integrated lower solution. For a regular smooth profile, the normal momentum equation gives $p^{\prime }\sim -{\alpha }^2(U-c)\Phi$. Thus fluid pressure variation across a fixed-width middle region is $O({\alpha }^{2}B)$; in the final distinguished scaling this is smaller than its $O(\delta )$ value, so $p\sim \delta P_0$ throughout that region. Since $U\to 1$, the middle velocity tends to $\boxed{v\sim -i\alpha B}$, which does not decay and requires another region.

The fluid pressure equation becomes $p^{\prime \prime }-{\alpha }^{2}p=0$ when $U\sim 1$. Therefore the upper scale is $\Delta =1/\alpha$, with $z=\alpha y$. The inviscid decaying upper solution isMatching velocity as $z\downarrow 0$ gives $P_{\infty }\sim \alpha B$; matching fluid pressure to the middle region gives $\delta P_0\sim \alpha B$. This is three-layer long-wave shear-flow matching, expressed as a matched asymptotic expansion.

Under $\alpha =k{R}^{-1/4}$ with fixed positive $k$, $\delta =k^{-1/3}{R}^{-1/4}$, and $\alpha /\delta =k^{4/3}$. Eliminating the nonzero amplitude $A$ gives the Airy wall-layer matching determinant and dispersion relationEquivalently, with $\mathcal{T}(C)={\int }_{-qC}^{\infty e^{i\pi /6}}\mathrm{Ai}(\zeta )d\zeta =q{I}_0(C)$,The determinant form does not divide by a possibly vanishing $I_0$. The wavespeed is $c=\delta C$; temporal growth has sign $\mathrm{Im}C$ for positive $\alpha$.

There is a genuine conflict in the printed assumptions: fixed-$k$ $\alpha =k{R}^{-1/4}$ cannot satisfy $R^{-1/7}\ll \alpha$ as $R\to \infty$. For order-one lower matching amplitudes, constant leading middle fluid pressure requires ${\alpha }^2\ll \delta$, equivalently $\alpha \ll R^{-1/7}$; this is the reverse inequality and is satisfied by the final distinguished scaling. Thinness also requires $\alpha R\gg 1$. The dispersion relation above is therefore derived under the final distinguished limit, for which the complete consistent window is $R^{-1}\ll \alpha \ll R^{-1/7}$. Both printed limits cannot be imposed simultaneously.

Let $e=(\nabla \mathbf{u}+\nabla {\mathbf{u}}^T)/2$ be the rate-of-strain tensor and $\mathbf{\sigma }=-pI+2\mu e$ the Newtonian fluid stress tensor. The viscous dissipation is $D[\mathbf{u}]=2\mu {\int }_{V}e:edV$. The Minimum-dissipation theorem for Stokes flow compares the Stokes flow with every sufficiently regular incompressible flow in the same domain having the same prescribed boundary velocity, with no body force or with a conservative body force absorbed into the fluid pressure. A trial field need not satisfy the Stokes flow equations. Write it as $\mathbf{u}+\mathbf{w}$, with $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{w}=0$ and $\mathbf{w}=0$ on the boundary. Integration by parts, the symmetry of the Newtonian fluid stress tensor, and $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{\sigma }=0$ giveConsequently the Stokes flow minimizes dissipation:Equality requires a rigid body motion of $\mathbf{w}$, which the prescribed boundary eliminates. Extending the flow inside the inserted particle as its rigid body velocity produces an admissible comparison field with zero internal rate-of-strain tensor; hence the extra dissipation due to a rigid inclusion is nonnegative.

Here and below $\mathbf{n}$ on $A$ points into the particle, so the traction $\mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n}$ represents force exerted by the particle on the fluid. Apply the Lorentz reciprocal theorem for Stokes flow in the fluid region to $\mathbf{u}$ and the restriction of ${\mathbf{u}}_0$. The equal outer boundary velocities yieldThe boundary-work formula for viscous dissipation therefore gives $D^{\prime }={\int }_A[(\mathbf{u}-{\mathbf{u}}_0)\cdot \mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n}+\mathbf{u}\cdot {\mathbf{\sigma }}_0\mathbf{n}]dS$. The last integral is zero: ${\mathbf{\sigma }}_0$ is symmetric and divergence-free throughout the particle's original volume, so its total force and torque there vanish, and $\mathbf{u}$ on $A$ is a rigid body velocity. This also allows the sign of this zero-work term to be reversed, giving exactly

With the particle's centre as origin, define $\mathbf{F}={\int }_A\mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n}dS$, $\mathbf{G}={\int }_A\mathbf{x}\times (\mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n})dS$ and the particle stresslet tensor $S=-\frac{1}{2}{\int }_A[\mathbf{x}(\mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n})+(\mathbf{\sigma }\mathbf{n})\mathbf{x}]dS$. Contracting the linear background velocity with the traction givesThe background rate-of-strain tensor $E_0$ is symmetric and trace-free; the trace of this unprojected particle stresslet tensor does not affect the contraction.

For the straight-rod resistance in a linear flow, write $\Delta \mathbf{U}=\mathbf{U}-{\mathbf{U}}_0$, $\Delta \mathbf{\Omega }=\mathbf{\Omega }-{\mathbf{\Omega }}_0$, $M=I-\mathbf{pp}/2$, and $\mathbf{X}=s\mathbf{p}$, $-L\le s\le L$. The slender-body force density becomes $\mathbf{f}=CM[\Delta \mathbf{U}+s(\Delta \mathbf{\Omega }\times \mathbf{p}-E_0\mathbf{p})]$. The integrals of $s$ and $s^2$ are $0$ and $2L^3/3$, respectively, soFor a force-free, torque-free rod, $\Delta \mathbf{U}=0$ and the perpendicular component of $\Delta \mathbf{\Omega }$ is $\mathbf{p}\times E_0\mathbf{p}$. Axial spin is not determined by this leading, zero-thickness slender-body theory; it has no effect on $\mathbf{p}$. Put $a_p=\mathbf{p}\cdot E_0\mathbf{p}$. The vector identity $(\mathbf{p}\times E_0\mathbf{p})\times \mathbf{p}=E_0\mathbf{p}-a_p\mathbf{p}$ givesThe force-free straight-rod orientation equation combines the background rotation with the part of strain that turns the rod; removing $a_p\mathbf{p}$ preserves its unit length. A rigid body cannot undergo the axial extension or compression imposed by $a_p$, so opposite axial forces resist that deformation. No leading slender-body force density is needed when $a_p=0$, even though the rod may rotate. Its particle stresslet tensor and viscous dissipation are

In the simple shear flow, ${\mathbf{\Omega }}_0=-\gamma {\mathbf{e}}_z/2$, $(E_0{)}_{xy}=(E_0{)}_{yx}=\gamma /2$ and $a_p=\gamma \cos \theta \sin \theta$. Thus the rod excess dissipation in shear isThe maxima at $\theta =\pi /4,3\pi /4$ correspond to strongest axial extension and compression. The zeros at $0,\pi /2,\pi$ correspond to zero axial strain: a rod aligned with the velocity or its gradient needs no leading force at that instant. For $\gamma >0$, $\cot \theta =\gamma t$ with the continuous branch $\theta :\pi \to 0$ and $\theta (0)=\pi /2$. Reversing the shear flow reverses the traversal. Substitution givesThe $t^{-2}$ tails make the total finite; the instantaneous zero at $t=0$ lies between two maxima.

For a dilute rod suspension, the added bulk stress is the number density times the orientation average of the particle stresslet tensor. In this ideal infinitely slender, non-interacting model, rods approach alignment with the shear flow and their excess viscous dissipation decays. A real finite-aspect-ratio rod continues to tumble; rotational diffusion and interactions also maintain a spread of orientations. One therefore expects increased effective viscosity, with alignment offering a mechanism for reduced excess viscosity at strong shear flow. This is a qualitative expectation, not a claim that a finite rod suspension has zero steady excess stress.

The WKB approximation treats the vertical wavenumber as locally constant over one vertical wavelength. Write $w=\Re \{A(z)e^{ikx+i{\int }^{z}m(s)ds}\}$, with $|m^{\prime }|\ll m^2$ and $|A^{\prime }|\ll |mA|$. For the stationary internal-wave WKB solution, $A\propto m^{-1/2}$ away from singular or turning levels. A small terrain slope and small perturbations are also needed for Linearized Boussinesq equations.

Let $p$ be the perturbation fluid pressure divided by reference mass density, and $b$ the buoyancy perturbation. The steady Linearized Boussinesq equations and incompressibility condition areFor an $e^{ikx}$ component, elimination gives $u=-w^{\prime }/(ik)$, $b=-N^{2}w/(ikU)$ and $p=(U{w}^{\prime }-U^{\prime }w)/(ik)$. Substitution into vertical momentum gives the exact stationary Taylor–Goldstein equationThe leading WKB approximation therefore identifiesThe kinematic boundary condition fixes the horizontal wavenumber to $k=k_T$ for the sinusoidal forcing.

For explicit heights assume a constant positive buoyancy frequency $N$, $0<k{U}_0<N$, and $|S|/N\ll 1$. The latter is a large gradient Richardson number. The linear shear flow has $U^{\prime \prime }=0$, so the propagation condition is $|U|<N/k$.

For $S<0$, the first obstruction is the critical level of an internal gravity wave atAs $z\uparrow z_c$, $m\sim N/U\to \infty$. The critical-height approach of a stationary wave in linear shear has upward group velocity $c_{gz}\sim k{U}^2/N$, so the travel time to $z_c$ diverges: the height is a supremum, approached in the ideal ray model. Here $|m^{\prime }|/m^2\to |S|/N$, which can remain small; it would be incorrect to say that the short-wavelength WKB approximation necessarily fails solely because $m$ diverges. Nevertheless $w\propto U^{1/2}$ and displacement $w/(ikU)\propto U^{-1/2}$, so a finite disturbance eventually violates linearity. Dissipation and overturning also matter near this singular level.

For $S>0$, the turning height of a stationary wave in linear shear isAt $z_t$, $m=0$ and the WKB approximation fails. An Airy function matching region describes reflection and an upper evanescent wave. Thus $z_t$ is the highest height of vertical propagation, rather than a sharp cut-off of every disturbance.

The problem initially allows $N(z)$ to vary. Without the extra constant-$N$ assumption, replace the explicit turning height by the first root of $N(z)=k|U_0+Sz|$ encountered on a propagating branch. A declining $N(z)$ can cause a turning level before the negative-shear critical level. The two closed-form heights require the stated constant-stratification assumption.

Take a common constant buoyancy frequency $N$ and put $k=k_T>0$. Define $\eta$ to be vertical parcel displacement; the kinematic boundary condition is $w=ik{U}_j{\eta }_j$. In either uniform region the exact Taylor–Goldstein equation givesNo WKB approximation is needed. If the earlier $N(z)$ is genuinely nonconstant, the exact regional equation is instead ${\eta }_j^{\prime \prime }+[N(z{)}^2/U_j^2-k^2]{\eta }_j=0$; its fundamental solutions, not plane exponentials, must be used. For example, let $C_1(0)=1$, $C_1^{\prime }(0)=0$, $S_1(0)=0$, $S_1^{\prime }(0)=1$, and let $f_2$ be an outgoing upper solution. Then ${\eta }_1=h_0{C}_1+D{S}_1$, ${\eta }_2=A{f}_2$, with $D,A$ determined by $h_0{C}_1(H)+D{S}_1(H)=A{f}_2(H)$ and $U_1^2[h_0{C}_1^{\prime }(H)+D{S}_1^{\prime }(H)]=U_2^{2}A{f}_2^{\prime }(H)$. This gives the exact arbitrary-profile field implicitly, while a simple angle-only coefficient requires further stratification assumptions.

Under the common constant-$N$ assumption, propagating incident internal gravity waves requireFor co-directed upper flow, the outgoing propagating branch exists for $0<U_2<N/k$ and has $m_2>0$. The radiation condition chooses $m_j>0$ because the laboratory vertical group velocity is positive on the negative intrinsic frequency branch. Define $\tan {\theta }_j=m_j/k$, so $\cos {\theta }_j=k{U}_j/N$.

At the velocity jump, the material-interface jump conditions for stratified inviscid shear flow require continuity of displacement and of fluid pressure. Vertical velocity itself is generally discontinuous: $w_j=ik{U}_j\eta$. In terms of displacement the pressure is $p_j=U_j^2{\eta }_j^{\prime }$. The displacement impedance for an internal wave at a velocity jump is $Z_j=U_j^2{m}_j$. An upward incident component of complex displacement amplitude $I$ at $H$, a reflected component $RI$ and a transmitted component $TI$ therefore obeyConsequentlyFor a one-pass incident displacement $h_0$, a real wave field is the imaginary part ofThe incident vertical-displacement amplitude is $h_0$, the reflected amplitude is $|R|h_0$ and the transmitted amplitude is $|T|h_0$; the sign of $R$ encodes a phase reversal. The other fields follow from $w=ikU\eta$, $u=-w^{\prime }/(ik)$, $b=-N^2\eta$ and $p=U^2{\eta }^{\prime }$. If a perfectly reflecting terrain boundary is enforced after the return wave arrives, replace the incident coefficient $h_0$ by $h_0/[1+R{e}^{2i{m}_{1}H}]$. The one-pass amplitudes use the permitted neglect of repeated terrain reflections.

For common $N$, $Z_j=(N^2/k)\cos {\theta }_j\sin {\theta }_j$. The physical vertical-displacement transmission coefficient is thereforeThe printed coefficient has a different denominator and cannot be obtained for this standard displacement convention. For example, when $U_2=U_1$, there is no interface scattering and the vertical amplitude stays $h_0$, whereas the printed expression gives $h_0/\cos {\theta }_1$. A total displacement magnitude would instead be the vertical amplitude divided by $\cos {\theta }_2$; with unequal velocities it still does not give the printed expression. The transmission formula needs an explicit correction or a different, presently unspecified amplitude/interface model.

For $U_2>N/k$, choose $m_2=i\kappa$ with $\kappa =(k^2-N^2/U_2^2{)}^{1/2}$: the transmitted response decays as $e^{-\kappa (z-H)}$ and the same impedance equations give a complex $R,T$, with $|R|=1$. At $U_2=0$ the steady equation is singular. Oppositely directed upper flow formally supports propagating waves when $0<|U_2|<N/k$, but upward radiation then requires $m_2<0$ and signed $Z_2$; the positive-angle co-directed formula is not valid there. A real velocity jump can also have Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, which is excluded from this formal steady scattering calculation.

Let $p$ denote the fluid pressure perturbation divided by the reference mass density, and let $b=-g{\rho }^{\prime }/{\rho }_0$ be the buoyancy perturbation. The buoyancy frequency satisfies $N^2=-g{\hat{\rho }}_z/{\rho }_0$. Linearization requires small boundary slope $k|{\eta }_0|\ll 1$, small displacements compared with the vertical scales of the disturbance and background, and advection small compared with the oscillatory acceleration. For a propagating internal gravity wave this includes $|m{\eta }_0|\ll 1$; boundary slope alone is insufficient when $|m|\gg k$. The Boussinesq approximation also requires small relative mass density differences over the region of interest. These conditions must hold for the resulting disturbance, including any amplification by resonance.

The inviscid Linearized Boussinesq equations and linear kinematic boundary condition areWrite the velocity field as $(u,w)=\mathrm{Re}\{(U(z),W(z))e^{i(kx-\omega t)}\}$. Incompressibility and horizontal momentum balance giveThe vertical momentum balance therefore yieldsFor a real vertical wavenumber $m$, this gives the dispersion relationWhen $0<\omega <N$, define $\ell =k\sqrt{N^2/{\omega }^2-1}$. The radiation condition selects $m=-\ell$, because energy must leave the boundary upward. The boundary-forced internal gravity wave isIts wavevector is $\mathbf{K}=(k,m)$, its phase velocity is ${\mathbf{c}}_p=\omega \mathbf{K}/(k^2+m^2)$, and its group velocity isThus the phase velocity points down and right, while the group velocity points up and right. They are perpendicular. Internal-wave polarization makes the particle motion an oscillation along the group velocity direction, with zero first-order mean transport. The constant-phase lines of an internal gravity wave are also parallel to the group velocity. Their inclination $\vartheta$ above the horizontal satisfies $\sin \vartheta =\omega /N$.