It is important to fix the mass flux convention. With literal mass units and the corresponding density-weighted buoyancy flux, the Boussinesq approximation and circular top-hat plume model give
Replacing by in inertial fluxes is the Boussinesq approximation; the density difference is retained in the buoyancy flux. Define the kinematic plume fluxes
If the symbols instead denote the customary kinematic fluxes, simply omit the factors in all conversions below. Keeping the two conventions consistent is essential for the jet length and dimensional prefactors.
The Batchelor entrainment hypothesis prescribes inward edge velocity
The constant entrainment coefficient relates ambient inflow to the local axial velocity. A centreline segment of arc length entrains volume . Hence, setting ,
The buoyancy flux is conserved because the homogeneous entrained ambient has zero density deficit, and mixing has no buoyancy source or sink. The imposed zero source mass flux with nonzero source momentum flux is a singular point-source idealization, not a finite-radius nozzle with zero emitted fluid. Indeed and the plume reduced gravity diverge as with nonzero source fluxes. The Boussinesq approximation cannot remain valid arbitrarily close to that point. The top-hat plume model is applied outside the unresolved source region.
Take inward fluid entrainment speed to be positive. The non-Boussinesq form of the Batchelor entrainment hypothesis is
where is the entrainment coefficient. Define physical, cross-section-integrated fluxes for the top-hat plume model by
Thus is mass flux, is momentum flux, and is a density-weighted buoyancy flux. The kinematic buoyancy flux in the Boussinesq approximation is . These definitions keep the factor ; conventions suppressing it simply rescale all three fluxes consistently.
For a homogeneous ambient, the sectional volume, mass and momentum balances are
The momentum source is the net upward buoyancy force; entrained ambient fluid initially supplies no vertical momentum. Subtracting the mass balance from times the volume balance gives conservation of the density deficit:
Now , , and . Substitution produces the non-Boussinesq top-hat plume equations
For reconstructing the fields without a Boussinesq approximation,
The last expression uses the plume density in the acceleration denominator; it agrees with the ambient-density definition of reduced gravity to Boussinesq order.
The mass flux is density times the volume flux:
Thus
Write for the ambient density far from the wall and for the density at the wall. Across the plume, let and use the prescribed triangular profiles
Direct integration gives the volume flux, mass flux, momentum flux, and density-weighted buoyancy flux, all per unit radiator length:
These coefficients distinguish the triangular-profile wall line plume from a top-hat plume model.
The one-dimensional mass flux and momentum flux are respectively
In a steady flow, the conservation laws make both the mass flux and the given energy flux
constant. Wherever , their ratio is therefore constant:
where is the internal energy per unit volume of the ideal gas. This is the required steady-flow energy integral.
Define the surface density of a disk, outward mass flux, internal torque, and surface magnetic torque by
The sign convention makes positive for outward angular momentum transport in an ordinary Keplerian accretion disk. Vertical integration of mass conservation gives
The specific angular momentum is . Multiply the azimuthal equation by , use the continuity equation to put its left-hand side in conservative form, and integrate over . The assumed decay removes the vertical mass and viscous fluxes, whereas the magnetic surface stress remains:
Subtracting times the integrated mass equation yields
Since , substitution in mass conservation gives the required one-dimensional advection-diffusion equation
If transverse kinetic energy is dissipated at the downstream axis, the remaining specific orbital energy is . Binding requires , corresponding to incident impact parameter . Integrating the captured mass flux gives the Bondi--Hoyle--Lyttleton accretion rate.
Stream tube 2026-10-07
A stream tube is a narrow tube whose side boundary consists of streamlines. In steady flow no fluid crosses its sides, so continuity makes its mass flux constant. If flow follows a magnetic field with constant magnetohydrodynamic mass loading, its normal area obeys .