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Put $r=|\mathbf{x}|$ and $s=\mathbf{F}\cdot \mathbf{x}$. In the Unscaled Papkovich–Neuber representation, take the harmonic potentials $\mathbf{\Phi }=-\mathbf{F}/(8\pi \mu r)$ and $\chi =0$. Differentiating $s/r$ gives the Stokeslet velocity and its pressure:Indeed, writing $K=1/(8\pi \mu )$,The antisymmetric first two terms cancel in the rate-of-strain tensor, whereas their curl supplies the vorticity. ThusThe rate-of-strain tensor has zero trace, as required by incompressibility. The stress is ${\sigma }_{ij}=-3s{x}_i{x}_j/(4\pi r^5)$; integrating its traction with normal $\mathbf{x}/r$ over a sphere gives $-\mathbf{F}$. This fixes the force normalization of the Stokeslet.

For a sphere in a uniform straining Stokes flow, write the ambient velocity as $\mathbf{Ex}$, where $\mathbf{E}$ is symmetric and trace-free, and set $q=\mathbf{x}\cdot \mathbf{Ex}$. Symmetry gives zero translation and rotation of the centred force-free, torque-free sphere. Seek a decaying disturbance using the Unscaled Papkovich–Neuber representation withThe components of $\mathbf{Ex}/r^3$ are derivatives of $1/r$, and $q/r^5$ is a trace-free harmonic quadrupole, so both potentials satisfy Laplace's equation outside the sphere. Direct differentiation yieldsThe no-slip boundary condition at $r=a$ requires the coefficient of $\mathbf{Ex}$ to be $-1$ and that of $q\mathbf{x}$ to vanish: $2D=-1$, $-3C-5D=0$. Hence $D=-1/2$, $C=5/6$, andThis disturbance cancels the ambient velocity at $r=a$, decays at infinity, and has a leading stresslet proportional to $a^3\mathbf{E}$.

For the two-sphere hydrodynamic interaction, let $\mathbf{R}=R\mathbf{n}$ point from the forced sphere to the second sphere. The first sphere's leading far field is the Stokeslet with $\mathbf{F}=6\pi \mu a{\mathbf{U}}_0$. Its incident rate-of-strain tensor at the second sphere isThe force-free sphere translates with the local uniform incident flow, and the torque-free sphere rotates with half the incident vorticity. Those parts cause no leading Stokeslet or rotlet disturbance. The remaining incident strain produces the stresslet just calculated. At displacement $-\mathbf{R}$ from the second sphere its velocity isThe first sphere translates in this returned incident flow. Finite-size sampling and higher incident multipoles enter only beyond the retained reflection order. Thus the stresslet reflection between two force-free and forced spheres givesThe factor $|{\mathbf{U}}_0|$ makes explicit the velocity scale implicit in the printed remainder.

The resulting input power, equal to the viscous dissipation, isIt decreases at fixed force. The Minimum-dissipation theorem for Stokes flow instead compares admissible fields at fixed first-sphere velocity: extending a two-sphere field rigidly into the second sphere gives an admissible one-sphere field, so the extra rigid inclusion can only increase the minimum resistance. Allowing the second sphere to choose its translation and rotation minimizes over its rigid motions, producing zero force and couple there. An increase of this effective hydrodynamic resistance matrix decreases its inverse hydrodynamic mobility matrix, and hence decreases fixed-force power. The negative mobility correction is therefore consistent with minimum dissipation.

If the second sphere is prevented from rotating, its angular velocity relative to the incident fluid becomesUse the rotating sphere in Stokes flow at $-\mathbf{R}$. The additional reflected rotlet givesAdding this rotation-clamped reflection between two spheres to the strain reflection,The holding couple supplies no power because the held sphere's angular velocity is zero.