Past exam of the astrophysical fluid dynamics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / 4 / a / Solution

Assume an inviscid barotropic fluid acted on by a conservative body force $-\nabla \psi$. Define its barotropic enthalpy function byThe Euler equations for an inviscid fluid are then ${\partial }_t\mathbf{v}+(\mathbf{v}\cdot \nabla )\mathbf{v}=-\nabla (H+\psi )$. Using the vorticity $\mathbf{\omega }=\nabla \times \mathbf{v}$ and the vector identitygives ${\partial }_t\mathbf{v}+\nabla B=\mathbf{v}\times \mathbf{\omega }$, where $B=v^2/2+H+\psi$.

For steady flow, dotting this equation with $\mathbf{v}$ yields $\mathbf{v}\cdot \nabla B=0$. Thus Bernoulli's equation isThe constant need not agree between different streamlines. If the flow is also irrotational, the vector equation gives $\nabla B=0$, so one common constant applies throughout a connected flow region.

For an isentropic process with $p=K{\rho }^{\gamma }$, $H=\gamma p/[(\gamma -1)\rho ]$ up to an additive constant, equal to the thermodynamic specific enthalpy. For an externally maintained isothermal gas, $H=a^2\ln (\rho /{\rho }_{\mathrm{ref}})$; this pressure potential is not the constant thermodynamic enthalpy of a fixed-temperature ideal gas.

If steady flow is not assumed, a useful additional case is unsteady potential flow $\mathbf{v}=\nabla \varphi$. The same vector equation integrates spatially toGeneral unsteady barotropic flow does not possess the steady streamline constant without further conditions.