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When the flow is irrotational,
 |
(2.21) |
there exists a velocity potential,
, such that
 |
(2.22) |
§
so that (2.21) is satisfied identically (
). For an incompressible fluid, we have
and so using (2.22) we obtain
 |
(2.23) |
Thus,
satisfies Laplace's equation and the flow is called
potential. Solving this (2.22) gives
and (2.20)
determines
.
Prof. Alan Hood
2000-11-06