Paradox of description for motion of a hydrodynamic discontinuity in a potential and incompressible flow

Abstract

Hydrodynamic discontinuities in an external potential and incompressible flow are investigated. Using the reaction front as an example in a 2D stream, an overdetermined system of equations is obtained that describes its motion in terms of the surface itself. Assuming that the harmonic flux approaching discontinuity is additional smooth, these equations can be used to determine the motion of this discontinuity without taking into account the influence of the flow behind the front, as well as the entire external flow. It is well known that for vanishingly low viscosity, the tangential and the integral relation on the boundary (Dirichlet, Neumann problems) connects normal component of the velocity. Knowing one of them along the boundary of the discontinuity, one can determine the entire external flow. However, assuming the external flow is smooth, this will also be the case for all derivatives of velocity with respect to coordinates and time. Then a paradox arises, knowing the position of the discontinuity and the velocity data at a point on its surface, it is possible to determine the motion of this discontinuity without taking into account the influence of the flow behind the front, as well as the entire external flow. There is no physical explanation for this mechanism. It is possible that a boundary layer is formed in front of the front, where viscosity plays a significant role and Euler equations are violated. It is argued that the classical idea of the motion of hydrodynamic discontinuities in the potential and incompressible flow in the external region should be corrected.

Keywords

• hydrodynamic discontinuity
• hydrodynamics
• euler equations
• laplace equation
• potential flow
• green's formula
• integral-differential equations