Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity Field

In fluid mechanics, most studies on flow structure analysis are simply based on the velocity gradient, which only involves the linear part of the velocity field and does not focus on the isotropic point. In this paper, we are concerned with a general polynomial velocity field with a nonzero linear p...

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Main Authors: Jian Gao, Rong Wang, Hongping Ma, Wennan Zou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Mathematics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/14/2320
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author Jian Gao
Rong Wang
Hongping Ma
Wennan Zou
author_facet Jian Gao
Rong Wang
Hongping Ma
Wennan Zou
author_sort Jian Gao
collection DOAJ
description In fluid mechanics, most studies on flow structure analysis are simply based on the velocity gradient, which only involves the linear part of the velocity field and does not focus on the isotropic point. In this paper, we are concerned with a general polynomial velocity field with a nonzero linear part and study its streamline pattern around an isotropic point, i.e., the local streamline pattern (LSP). A complete classification of LSPs in two-dimensional (2D) velocity fields is established. By proposing a novel formulation of qualitative equivalence, namely, the invariance under spatiotemporal transformations, we first introduce the quasi-real Schur form to classify the linear part of velocity fields. Then, for a nonlinear velocity field, the topological type of its LSP is either completely determined by the linear part when the determinant of the velocity gradient at the isotropic point is nonzero or controlled by both linear and nonlinear parts when the determinant of the velocity gradient vanishes at the isotropic point. Four new topological types of LSPs through detailed sector analysis are identified. Finally, we propose a direct method for calculating the index of the isotropic point, which also serves as a fundamental topological property of LSPs. These results do challenge the conventional linear analysis paradigm that simply neglects the contribution of the nonlinear part of the velocity field to the streamline pattern.
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spelling doaj-art-7d79ecaa874c44cd85835d7f78cc7abe2025-08-20T03:07:55ZengMDPI AGMathematics2227-73902025-07-011314232010.3390/math13142320Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity FieldJian Gao0Rong Wang1Hongping Ma2Wennan Zou3Institute of Engineering Mechanics, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaInstitute of Engineering Mechanics, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaInstitute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaInstitute of Engineering Mechanics, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, ChinaIn fluid mechanics, most studies on flow structure analysis are simply based on the velocity gradient, which only involves the linear part of the velocity field and does not focus on the isotropic point. In this paper, we are concerned with a general polynomial velocity field with a nonzero linear part and study its streamline pattern around an isotropic point, i.e., the local streamline pattern (LSP). A complete classification of LSPs in two-dimensional (2D) velocity fields is established. By proposing a novel formulation of qualitative equivalence, namely, the invariance under spatiotemporal transformations, we first introduce the quasi-real Schur form to classify the linear part of velocity fields. Then, for a nonlinear velocity field, the topological type of its LSP is either completely determined by the linear part when the determinant of the velocity gradient at the isotropic point is nonzero or controlled by both linear and nonlinear parts when the determinant of the velocity gradient vanishes at the isotropic point. Four new topological types of LSPs through detailed sector analysis are identified. Finally, we propose a direct method for calculating the index of the isotropic point, which also serves as a fundamental topological property of LSPs. These results do challenge the conventional linear analysis paradigm that simply neglects the contribution of the nonlinear part of the velocity field to the streamline pattern.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/14/2320isotropic pointlocal streamline pattern (LSP)indexquasi-real Schur formspatiotemporal transformations
spellingShingle Jian Gao
Rong Wang
Hongping Ma
Wennan Zou
Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity Field
Mathematics
isotropic point
local streamline pattern (LSP)
index
quasi-real Schur form
spatiotemporal transformations
title Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity Field
title_full Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity Field
title_fullStr Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity Field
title_full_unstemmed Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity Field
title_short Local Streamline Pattern and Topological Index of an Isotropic Point in a 2D Velocity Field
title_sort local streamline pattern and topological index of an isotropic point in a 2d velocity field
topic isotropic point
local streamline pattern (LSP)
index
quasi-real Schur form
spatiotemporal transformations
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7390/13/14/2320
work_keys_str_mv AT jiangao localstreamlinepatternandtopologicalindexofanisotropicpointina2dvelocityfield
AT rongwang localstreamlinepatternandtopologicalindexofanisotropicpointina2dvelocityfield
AT hongpingma localstreamlinepatternandtopologicalindexofanisotropicpointina2dvelocityfield
AT wennanzou localstreamlinepatternandtopologicalindexofanisotropicpointina2dvelocityfield