This book presents comprehensive and authoritative coverage of the wide field of concentrated vortices observed in nature and technique. The methods for research of their kinematics and dynamics are considered. Special attention is paid to the flows with helical symmetry. The authors have described models of vortex structures used for interpretation of experimental data which serve as a ground for development of theoretical and numerical approaches to vortex investigation.

Vortex flow is one of the fundamental types of fluid and gas motion. These flows are the most spectacular in the form of concentrated vortices, characterized by the localization of vorticity (curl of velocity) in bounded regions of a space, beyond which the vorticity is either absent or rapidly falls down to zero. Concentrated vortices are often observed in nature, exemplified by atmospheric cyclones, whirlwinds and tornados, oceanic vortices, whirlpools on a water s- face, and ring vortices caused by explosive outburst of volcanoes. In technical - vices concentrated vortices form when flow separates from sharp edges of flying vehicles and ships. Among these are vortices flowing off the ends of airplane wings, and intentionally generated vortices for intensification of burning in c- bustion chambers, vortices in cyclonic devices used for mixing or separation of impurities in fluids and gases. One such remarkable and frequent type of conc- trated vortices is a vortex ring which constitutes a vortex tube closed into a t- oidal ring moving in a surrounding fluid like an isolated body out of contact with solid boundaries of the flow region if such boundaries exist. Formation and motion of vortex rings are important part of the dynamics of a continuum medium and have been studied for more than a century.

This monograph discusses specific examples of selfdual gauge field structures, including the Chern–Simons model, the abelian–Higgs model, and Yang–Mills gauge field theory. The author builds a foundation for gauge theory and selfdual vortices by introducing the basic mathematical language of gauge theory and formulating examples of Chern–Simons–Higgs theories (in both abelian and non-abelian settings). Thereafter, the Electroweak theory and self-gravitating Electroweak strings are examined. The final chapters treat elliptic problems involving Chern–Simmons models, concentration-compactness principles, and Maxwell–Chern–Simons vortices.

Vortex dynamics is a natural paradigm for the field of chaotic motion and modern dynamical system theory. However, this volume focuses on those aspects of fluid motion that are primarily controlled by the vorticity and are such that the effects of the other fluid properties are secondary.

This book is a comprehensive and intensive monograph for scientists, engineers and applied mathematicians, as well as graduate students in fluid dynamics. It starts with a brief review of fundamentals of fluid dynamics, with an innovative emphasis on the intrinsic orthogonal decomposition of fluid dynamic process, by which one naturally identifies the content and scope of vorticity and vortex dynamics. This is followed by a detailed presentation of vorticity dynamics as the basis of later development. In vortex dynamics part the book deals with the formation, motion, interaction, stability, and breakdown of various vortices. Typical vortex structures are analyzed in laminar, transitional, and turbulent flows, including stratified and rotational fluids. Physical understanding of vertical flow phenomena and mechanisms is the first priority throughout the book. To make the book self-contained, some mathematical background is briefly presented in the main text, but major prerequisites are systematically given in appendices. Material usually not seen in books on vortex dynamics is included, such as geophysical vortex dynamics, aerodynamic vortical flow diagnostics and management.

Vortex methods have matured in recent years, offering an interesting alternative to finite difference and spectral methods for high resolution numerical solutions of the Navier Stokes equations. In the past three decades, research into the numerical analysis aspects of vortex methods has provided a solid mathematical background for understanding the accuracy and stability of the method. At the same time vortex methods retain their appealing physical character, which was the motivation for their introduction. This book presents and analyzes vortex methods as a tool for the direct numerical simulation of impressible viscous flows. It will interest graduate students and researchers in numerical analysis and fluid mechanics and also serve as an ideal textbook for courses in fluid dynamics.

Fluid mechanical aspects of separated and vortical flow in aircraft wing aerodynamics are treated. The focus is on two wing classes: (1) large aspect-ratio wings and (2) small aspect-ratio delta-type wings. Aerodynamic design issues in general are not dealt with. Discrete numerical simulation methods play a progressively larger role in aircraft design and development. Accordingly, in the introduction to the book the different mathematical models are considered, which underlie the aerodynamic computation methods (panel methods, RANS and scale-resolving methods). Special methods are the Euler methods, which as rather inexpensive methods embrace compressibility effects and also permit to describe lifting-wing flow. The concept of the kinematically active and inactive vorticity content of shear layers gives insight into many flow phenomena, but also, with the second break of symmetry---the first one is due to the Kutta condition---an explanation of lifting-wing flow fields. The prerequisite is an extended definition of separation: “flow-off separation” at sharp trailing edges of class (1) wings and at sharp leading edges of class (2) wings. The vorticity-content concept, with a compatibility condition for flow-off separation at sharp edges, permits to understand the properties of the evolving trailing vortex layer and the resulting pair of trailing vortices of class (1) wings. The concept also shows that Euler methods at sharp delta or strake leading edges of class (2) wings can give reliable results. Three main topics are treated: 1) Basic Principles are considered first: boundary-layer flow, vortex theory, the vorticity content of shear layers, Euler solutions for lifting wings, the Kutta condition in reality and the topology of skin-friction and velocity fields. 2) Unit Problems treat isolated flow phenomena of the two wing classes. Capabilities of panel and Euler methods are investigated. One Unit Problem is the flow past the wing of the NASA Common Research Model. Other Unit Problems concern the lee-side vortex system appearing at the Vortex-Flow Experiment 1 and 2 sharp- and blunt-edged delta configurations, at a delta wing with partly round leading edges, and also at the Blunt Delta Wing at hypersonic speed. 3) Selected Flow Problems of the two wing classes. In short sections practical design problems are discussed. The treatment of flow past fuselages, although desirable, was not possible in the frame of this book.