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Write the velocity potentials in the upper, middle and lower domains as ${\varphi }_{+}$, ${\varphi }_0$ and ${\varphi }_{-}$. Irrotational flow and incompressible flow imply the Laplace equationThe far-field boundary conditions are

Every shear layer is a material interface. The exact kinematic boundary condition at $y=h+\eta$ isand at $y=-h-\eta$ it isHere each equation is evaluated on the indicated moving interface.

Finally, pressure continuity is the dynamic boundary condition for an inviscid interface. The Unsteady Bernoulli equation givesafter absorbing spatially constant functions of time into the potentials.

The steady radial equation first gives the base-pressure gradientFor the stated normal mode, putRetaining terms linear in the disturbance in the Euler equations for an inviscid fluid givestogether with incompressible flowThe $-2\Omega v^{\prime }$ and $(2\Omega +r{\Omega }^{\prime })u^{\prime }$ terms are the linearized centrifugal and angular-momentum couplings of the swirling base flow.

At latitude ${\theta }_0$, resolve the planetary angular velocity asFor velocity $(u,v,w)$, the Coriolis acceleration isThe traditional approximation drops the terms involving the horizontal rotation component $\Omega \cos {\theta }_0$. The retained horizontal force is thereforeIts direct velocity-scale requirement isFor an incompressible flow, $W/U=O(H/L)$, so a sufficient condition istogether with the small aspect ratio that makes hydrostatic pressure the leading vertical momentum balance. The approximation consequently becomes delicate near the equator.

The beta plane is the local Taylor expansionwhereand $a$ is the planetary radius. It requires a local Cartesian region,and $H/a\ll 1$. Away from the equator, treating the variation as a perturbation of an f-plane also requires $\beta L/|f_0|\ll 1$; near the equator one instead retains the linear term as the leading Coriolis parameter.

Let $D=H-h$ be the constant interior depth. Assume a homogeneous hydrostatic interior with depth-independent horizontal velocity, negligible friction, steady small-Rossby number flow, and no normal flow through the flat bottom. The vertical velocity varies from $w(-H)=0$ to $w(-h)=w_E$, so incompressible flow givesThe leading horizontal momentum balance is geostrophic balance:Taking its vertical curl on a beta plane givesCombining the last two equations yields Sverdrup balanceThe zonal velocity is then fixed, up to its value on one side boundary, byEquivalently, substituting part a gives the depth-integrated formA lateral boundary condition, normally supplied by matching to a boundary current, determines the remaining zonally uniform part of $u$.

Differentiate horizontal momentum with respect to $z$ and vertical momentum with respect to $x$. When the two equations are subtracted, the terms proportional to ${\overline{u}}_z(u_x^{\prime }+w_z^{\prime })$ vanish by incompressible flow. The pressure derivatives also cancel, leaving

Differentiate this equation with respect to $x$. Since continuity givesone obtainsApply $D_t$ and use the buoyancy equation $D_t{\sigma }^{\prime }=-N^2{w}^{\prime }$. Multiplication by $-1$ then gives

The thermodynamic order parameter is the conserved scalar composition difference $\varphi$ of the binary fluid mixture. The momentum density $\rho \mathbf{v}$ is an additional conserved hydrodynamic mode; it is not a symmetry-breaking order parameter, but it must be retained because momentum relaxes only through spatial transport.

Composition conservation gives a continuity equation,The current $\mathbf{J}=-M\nabla \mu$ is the leading isotropic, dissipative constitutive law: it drives material down gradients of the chemical potential. For the Landau-Ginzburg theorythe functional derivative isThese statements give the advective Cahn--Hilliard equation.

Constant mass density and incompressible flow require $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{v}=0$. Momentum conservation gives the Navier-Stokes equation: material acceleration equals the sum of the Newtonian viscous force $\eta {\nabla }^2\mathbf{v}$, the pressure force $-\nabla P$, and the Korteweg force $-\varphi \nabla \mu$. The pressure is the Lagrange multiplier enforcing incompressibility. Together these equations are Model H dynamics; isothermality removes the need for a separate energy equation.

Assume late-stage bicontinuous phase separation has one characteristic domain size $L(t)$ and statistically self-similar morphology. The dynamical scaling of binary-fluid coarsening then estimatesThe interface has surface tension $\sigma$. Its curvature pressure is of order $\sigma /L$, so its coarse-grained gradient, equivalently the transverse part of $-\varphi \nabla \mu$, scales as $\sigma /L^2$. Diffusive composition transport is neglected because hydrodynamic advection controls the late stage, and $\rho ,\eta ,\sigma$ are treated as constants.

The pressure cannot simply be discarded: in an incompressible flow it cancels the longitudinal part of the other forces and contains both capillary and dynamic contributions. Applying the divergence-free projection to the momentum equation eliminates $\nabla P$ while retaining a solenoidal force with the same scaling. Geometry, projection, signs, and correlations are absorbed into dimensionless order-one coefficients. The result is

Write the density as a hydrostatic reference profile $\hat{\rho }(z)$ plus a small perturbation ${\rho }^{\prime }$, and define buoyancy and buoyancy frequency byThe Boussinesq approximation to the Navier-Stokes equation, together with mass conservation, iswhere $D/Dt$ is the material derivative, $\nu$ is kinematic viscosity, and $\kappa$ is mass diffusivity. Linearizing about rest and eliminating pressure and buoyancy givesFor a plane wave proportional to $e^{i(kx+mz-\omega t)}$, with $K^2=k^2+m^2$, the viscous-diffusive dispersion relation isIn the inviscid limit this becomesFor weak diffusion the two oscillatory roots areso a freely evolving Fourier mode decays.

A single plane wave is also an exact solution of the nonlinear equations. Every field depends only on its phase $\Theta =\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{x}-\omega t$, while incompressible flow gives $\mathbf{u}\cdot \mathbf{k}=0$. Therefore $\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla$ annihilates both $\mathbf{u}(\Theta )$ and $b(\Theta )$, and all nonlinear advection terms vanish.

For a boundary-forced wave with real $\omega$, nonzero $\nu$ or $\kappa$ instead makes the bulk vertical wavenumber complex, attenuating the propagating beam. Because diffusion raises the spatial order of the equations, additional short vertical-wavenumber roots form viscous and scalar boundary layers; they allow a no-slip velocity condition and a scalar no-flux condition to accompany impermeability. These layers and bulk attenuation become essential near critical internal-wave reflection, where the inviscid reflected wavelength collapses.

The Boussinesq approximation replaces density by a common reference value ${\rho }_0$ in inertia, mass conservation, and pressure acceleration, while retaining small density differences in the gravitational buoyancy term. It gives incompressible flow and is appropriate here wheneven though those small differences drive the room-scale motion. It would fail for order-one thermal density contrasts or strongly compressible ventilation.

The Batchelor entrainment hypothesis sets the mean inflow speed across a turbulent plume edge to $\alpha$ times a representative axial plume speed, where $\alpha$ is the entrainment coefficient. It closes integral plume balances by relating plume growth to its speed. Applied here, it produces an entraining axisymmetric warm plume above the floor source and a one-sided cold wall line plume below the vent. Treating both as turbulent top-hat plume models neglects source regions, detailed profiles, wall friction, interaction between the two plumes, and the finite thickness of the density interface; these are the principal modelling assumptions.

Let $z$ measure distance across the narrow gap and let $\theta$ be polar angle about the tube axis. In lubrication theory, radial velocity and radial pressure variation are negligible. Axisymmetric incompressible flow is obtained frombecause ${\partial }_{\theta }(u_{\theta }\sin \theta )=0$. The tangential Stokes equation then separates:and hence, after choosing an irrelevant pressure constant,

In the sphere frame, $u_z=-u_{\theta }\sin \theta =-\varphi$. The no-slip boundary condition gives $\varphi (0)=0$ on the sphere and $\varphi (\delta )=U$ on the membrane translating backward relative to it. The sphere-frame volume flux inherited from the narrow remote tube is $-\pi r_0^{2}U$, soUnder the asymptotic condition $r_0^2\ll R\delta$, the right-hand side is negligible at leading order. Solving the quadratic profile subject to the two wall values and zero leading-order integral givesChanging the chosen positive tube direction reverses both signs but leaves the drag magnitude unchanged.

The pressure scale is $p\sim \mu UR/{\delta }^2$, whereas the viscous shear scale is $\tau \sim \mu U/\delta$. After multiplication by comparable areas, pressure drag exceeds shear drag by $R/\delta \gg 1$, an instance of lubrication pressure dominates shear stress. Put $c=\cos \Delta \theta$. The axial pressure force isAs $\Delta \theta \to 0$, the bracket tends to $-2$, and thereforeThe resulting confined-sphere drag coefficient isThus it exceeds the free Stokes drag law coefficient by $2R^2/{\delta }^2$. The Stokes–Einstein relation then gives

The broad faces have curvature zero to leading order, so their stress boundary condition gives ${\sigma }_{xx}=-p_e$. The semicircular edges have curvature $1/h$, giving ${\sigma }_{yy}=-p_e-\gamma /h$. Incompressible flow gives $u_x+v_y+w_z=0$; uniform transverse normal stresses imply uniform transverse extension rates, and eliminating them from the Newtonian fluid stress tensor yields

At an edge, the kinematic boundary condition balances axial advection of $b$, lateral strain, and capillary retraction. This givesThe equation $hbw=Q$ expresses conservation of volume flux, whilestates that the total axial tension is constant. DefineThen $[\Gamma ]=L^{-2}$ and $[T]=L^{-1}$, and substitution of $h=Q/(bw)$ givesSubtracting these logarithmic-derivative equations givesThe remaining width equation isThus, for $T\ne 0$,while the continuous $T=0$ limit is $1/b=1/b_0+\Gamma z/6$.

If $\Gamma =0$, then $b/b_0=e^{-Tz/6}$, $w/w(0)=e^{Tz/3}$, and mass conservation gives $h/h(0)=e^{-Tz/6}$. Therefore a prescribed thinning ratio $R=h(L)/h(0)$ requires

For liquid occupying $a(t)<r<b(t)$, radial symmetry and incompressible flow implyThe kinematic boundary condition at the outer interface giveswhich expresses conservation of the liquid's area.

For a solenoidal vector field $\mathbf{B}$ and constant magnetic diffusivity $\eta$, the magnetic induction equation isIt combines Faraday's law with the moving-conductor relation for electrical conductivity, neglecting displacement current. With incompressible flow, its advective form is ${\partial }_t\mathbf{B}+(\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla )\mathbf{B}=(\mathbf{B}\cdot \nabla )\mathbf{u}+\eta {\nabla }^2\mathbf{B}$.

Using the positive polar molecular field $h_i=\delta F/\delta p_i$ and velocity gradient ${\partial }_i{v}_j$, the reversible order-parameter stress consists of a distortion contribution and rotational and alignment contributions:For a local free-energy density, a representative is ${\Sigma }_{ij}^{(1)}=(f-p_k{h}_k){\delta }_{ij}-f_{{\partial }_i{p}_k}{\partial }_j{p}_k$. The Euler-Lagrange equation verifies its divergence. Integration by parts gives $\delta F=\int {\Sigma }_{ij}^p{\partial }_i{u}_j$ for an incompressible displacement without surface work; the corresponding mechanical power has the opposite sign. Pressure contributions may be reassigned in an incompressible flow.

Scalar transport follows a material quantity through advection and diffusion equation terms, for example ${\Theta }_t+\mathbf{U}\cdot \nabla \Theta =\kappa \Delta \Theta$. A passive scalar does not affect the velocity field; an active scalar feeds back through forces such as buoyancy. With incompressible flow bounded by impermeable walls and homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions, the spatial mean is conserved.

Scalar variance measures spatial departure from the conserved mean. For zero mean, incompressible flow bounded by impermeable walls and homogeneous scalar Neumann boundary conditions, integration by parts gives $d\int {\Theta }^2/dt=-2\kappa \int |\nabla \Theta {|}^2$. Advection preserves the instantaneous quadratic integral but can sharpen gradients, allowing the diffusion equation to remove scalar variance faster.

For radial flow outside a sphere, incompressible flow makesindependent of radius. Its velocity potential is $\varphi =-Q/(4\pi r)$.

For a uniform-density sphere with incompressible flow of radius $R$ with one surface spherical harmonic displacement ${\xi }_r(R)=lA{R}^{l-1}{Y}_l^m$, the bulk density perturbation vanishes but the surface contributes $\delta \rho =\rho {\xi }_r(R)\delta (r-R)$. Continuity of the Newtonian gravitational potential and the Poisson equation give $[{\partial }_r\delta \Phi {]}_{\mathrm{out}-\mathrm{in}}=4\pi G\rho {\xi }_r(R)$. The regular interior and decaying exterior solutions areThe coefficient follows because the derivative jump is $-(2l+1)C{R}^{l-1}{Y}_l^m$. This surface source is why neglecting the bulk density perturbation does not justify neglecting the perturbed gravity.

For an ideal incompressible flow rotating about the axis of the field $\mathbf{B}=(J/2)s\hat{\mathbf{\varphi }}$, use cylindrical Fourier modes $e^{\sigma t+im\varphi }$. The azimuthal derivative of a cylindrical vector Fourier mode reduces induction to $\sigma \mathbf{b}=imJ\mathbf{u}/2$. If the boundary eigenproblem gives $\lambda =i\delta \nu$, with real $|\delta |<1$, eliminating the perturbation gives the displayed dispersion relation. Here $J=\nabla \times \mathbf{B}\cdot \hat{\mathbf{z}}={\mu }_0{J}_{\mathrm{phys}}$ for SI current density; the formula is conditional on that boundary eigenrelation.

Vertical shear instability destabilizes differential rotation that varies with height, when buoyancy restoration is absent or sufficiently weakened. In the homogeneous incompressible flow model with background $U_y=-3\Omega x/2+q\Omega z$, an axisymmetric perturbation with wavevector $(k_x,0,k_z)\ne 0$ hasThe pressure-free radial/vertical momentum equation and the azimuthal equation give this result after using incompressibility. Growth requires $2q{k}_x{k}_z>k_z^2$, so a small vertical shear favors nearly radial wavevectors. Here $q$ is the vertical shear amplitude, distinct from the orbital shear parameter $3/2$. Stratification, cooling and boundaries can change this simplified criterion.