Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / iii / Paper 78 / 1

Use the Newtonian fluid stress tensor $\sigma =-pI+2\mu e$, where $e=(\nabla u+\nabla u^T)/2$. The Stokes equations for a point force on the fluid are $\nabla \cdot u=0$ and $\nabla \cdot \sigma +F\delta (x)=0$. Put $r=|x|$. Away from the origin, a harmonic vector potential proportional to $F/r$ in the Unscaled Papkovich–Neuber representation gives the rotationally covariant decaying solution. Specifically, take $\Phi =-F/(8\pi \mu r)$ and $\chi =0$. Differentiation yieldsThis satisfies the homogeneous Stokes equations for $r>0$. Its stress isTo verify the point-force normalization, on a sphere $r=\epsilon$ the traction is $\sigma n=-3(F\cdot n)n/(4\pi {\epsilon }^2)$. Since ${\int }_{S^2}{n}_i{n}_{j}d\Omega =4\pi {\delta }_{ij}/3$, its surface integral is $-F$. Thus integrating momentum balance over the small ball gives exactly the applied force $F$, fixing the normalization of the Stokeslet. Its radial velocity is $(F\cdot n)/(4\pi \mu r)$, soThere is no net volume or mass source at the singularity. The kernels have the parity $J(-x)=J(x)$ and $K(-x)=-K(x)$.

For two Stokes flows with the same viscosity and body forces $f^{(1)},f^{(2)}$, the Lorentz reciprocal theorem including body forces isIndeed, apply the divergence theorem to $u_i^{(1)}{\sigma }_{ij}^{(2)}-u_i^{(2)}{\sigma }_{ij}^{(1)}$. The cross-gradient terms cancel: incompressibility removes each pressure contraction and the remaining terms are both $2\mu e^{(1)}:e^{(2)}$. The two stress divergences give the body-force terms shown.

Choose flow 1 to be the desired body-force-free field and flow 2 to be a Stokeslet with arbitrary force vector $q$ at $y$. For $y\in V$, the body-force term is $-q\cdot u(y)$. Rearrange the reciprocal identity and use the parity of $J,K$; equality for every $q$ givesFor $y$ outside the volume there is no point force in $V$, so the same two integrals sum to zero. To obtain the smooth boundary value, exclude a small hemisphere about $y$, use continuity of $u$ to replace it by $u(y)$ on that hemisphere, and take the radius to zero. A full small sphere contributes $u(y)$; a hemisphere contributes half of it. Equivalently, the local solid-angle factor is $2\pi /(4\pi )$. The result is the boundary integral representation of Stokes flow with right side $\frac{1}{2}u(y)$ on a smooth boundary, and with the double layer interpreted by its boundary principal value. A nonsmooth corner would have a different solid-angle coefficient.

Let $n$ point out of the drop, and use $-$ for the interior and $+$ for the exterior. The interfacial velocity is continuous. Define $\kappa ={\nabla }_s\cdot n$; for a sphere of radius $a$ it is $2/a$. With constant surface tension, the interfacial stress balance with variable surface tension reduces toUse the exterior-viscosity kernels to define $S[t]=\int J(y-x)t(x)d{S}_x$ and $D[u]=\int u(x)K(y-x)n(x)d{S}_x$. The interior viscosity is $\lambda \mu$, so its velocity kernel is $J/\lambda$, while its stress kernel $K$ is unchanged. The interior boundary equation isFor the decaying exterior flow, the inner boundary's fluid-domain normal is $-n$, soAdd these equations and use the traction jump. The required capillary boundary integral equation for a viscous drop isThe formula uses the drop-outward normal consistently in both integrals. If $\lambda =1$, the double-layer term cancels. A spherical drop of constant curvature has zero velocity: a constant Laplace-pressure jump is balanced without motion. A prescribed ambient flow would add its known far-boundary contribution; none is present for the surface-tension-driven flow here.

The fluid is outside the body, so its normal on the inner boundary is $-n^{\prime }$. Let $t=\sigma n^{\prime }$ be traction on the body's surface from the fluid. For an exterior point and a flow vanishing at infinity, the boundary representation readsFor $r=|y|\gg a$, expand the single layer through its first moment and the double layer through its zeroth moment:The next single-layer and double-layer terms are both $O(r^{-3})$ at fixed body size and boundary data. Differentiating $J$ givesHence the dipole terms combine intoThe antisymmetric part obeys $(\Sigma -{\Sigma }^T)y=G\times y$ for $G_j=-{ϵ}_{j\alpha \beta }{\Sigma }_{\alpha \beta }$. For the symmetric trace-free tensor $S$, $y\cdot My=y\cdot Sy+(\mathrm{Tr}M)r^2/3$. Also $\mathrm{Tr}\Sigma -\mathrm{Tr}M=2\mu \mathrm{Tr}U=2\mu Q$. Substitution givesThis derives the Stokes far-field multipoles of a deforming body. $F$ is the force exerted by the body on the fluid, the negative of the integrated fluid traction. $G$ is its torque on the fluid: $G=-\int x\times tdS$. Their kernels are the Stokeslet and rotlet. $Q=\int u\cdot n^{\prime }dS$ is the rate of increase of the body's volume, by the Reynolds transport theorem. It gives a radial source flow with volume flux $Q$. A volume-preserving body has $Q=0$. The trace-free tensor $S$ gives the stresslet, which can remain nonzero for a force-free, torque-free swimmer.