On Steady Vortex Rings of Small Cross-Section in an Ideal Fluid
Abstract
This paper is concerned with vortex rings, in an unbounded inviscid fluid of uniform density, that move without change of form and with constant velocity when the fluid at infinity is at rest. The work is restricted to rings whose cross-sectional area is small relative to the square of a mean ring radius. An existence theorem is proved for distributions of vorticity in the core that are arbitrary, apart from the condition imposed by the equation of motion and certain smoothness requirements. The method of proof relies on the nearly plane, or two-dimensional, nature of the flow in the neighbourhood of a small cross-section, and leads to approximate but explicit formulae for the propagation speed and shape of the vortex rings in question.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series A
- Pub Date:
- March 1970
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1970RSPSA.316...29F