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Linearity of Stokes flow and rotational symmetry, including reflection in mathematics invariance of the spherical geometry, determine the possible rigid motions before any calculation. Translation is a polar vector; its linear dependence on a single vector $\mathbf{A}$ must be $c\mathbf{A}$. A traceless second-rank tensor $\mathbf{B}$ cannot produce a polar vector by an isotropic linear map: tensor contraction with the identity matrix vanishes and tensor contraction with the totally antisymmetric tensor vanishes because $\mathbf{B}$ is a symmetric second-rank tensor. Angular velocity is an axial vector. Neither $\mathbf{A}$ nor a symmetric $\mathbf{B}$ can produce one by an isotropic linear map. Products such as $\mathbf{A}\times \mathbf{BA}$ are excluded by Linearity of Stokes flow. Thus $\mathbf{\Omega }=0$.

Use the Unscaled Papkovich–Neuber representation, with harmonic functions $\mathbf{\Phi }$ and $\chi$:Indeed $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u}=0$ and $\mu {\nabla }^2\mathbf{u}=\nabla p$ because each potential is a harmonic function. Put $r=|\mathbf{x}|$ and $S=\mathbf{x}\cdot \mathbf{Bx}$. The decaying harmonic functions with the necessary angular dependence are $\mathbf{A}\cdot \mathbf{x}/r^3$, $\mathbf{Bx}/r^3$ and $S/r^5$. The last is a harmonic function precisely because $\mathrm{tr}\mathbf{B}=0$. A $1/r$ Stokeslet is excluded by the force-free condition, and a rotlet by the torque-free condition. TryThe resulting Stokes flow isAt $r=a$, the coefficient of $\mathbf{n}(\mathbf{A}\cdot \mathbf{n})$ fixes $c=a^3/3$; the remaining constant vector gives $\mathbf{U}=-2\mathbf{A}/3$. In the $\mathbf{B}$ mode, matching $\mathbf{Bn}-(\mathbf{n}\cdot \mathbf{Bn})\mathbf{n}$ gives $e=a^4/2$ and $d=-a^2/2$. Therefore the complete two-mode tensorial squirmer flow isThe boundary condition is satisfied in the laboratory frame, so the Stokes flow tends to zero at infinity. The potential dipole in the $\mathbf{A}$ mode gives an irrotational flow and decays as $r^{-3}$; the leading $\mathbf{B}$ mode is a stresslet, decaying as $r^{-2}$. Neither carries a net force or torque. Direct surface integral averaging with the surface slip velocity formula gives the same translation, providing an independent check. Uniqueness of Stokes flow then identifies this decaying solution.

An axial vector transforms as ${\mathbf{a}}^{\prime }=(\det Q)Q\mathbf{a}$ under an orthogonal matrix $Q$. It agrees with a polar vector under a proper rotation matrix and has the additional determinant sign under an orientation-reversing transformation. Angular momentum and angular velocity are axial vectors.