Stokes stream function

In fluid dynamics, the Stokes stream function is used to describe the streamlines and flow velocity in a three-dimensional incompressible flow with axisymmetry.

A surface with a constant value of the Stokes stream function encloses a streamtube, everywhere tangential to the flow velocity vectors.

Further, the volume flux within this streamtube is constant, and all the streamlines of the flow are located on this surface.

The velocity field associated with the Stokes stream function is solenoidal—it has zero divergence.

This stream function is named in honor of George Gabriel Stokes.

Consider a cylindrical coordinate system ( ρ , φ , z ), with the z–axis the line around which the incompressible flow is axisymmetrical, φ the azimuthal angle and ρ the distance to the z–axis.

Then the flow velocity components uρ and uz can be expressed in terms of the Stokes stream function

by:[1] The azimuthal velocity component uφ does not depend on the stream function.

Due to the axisymmetry, all three velocity components ( uρ , uφ , uz ) only depend on ρ and z and not on the azimuth φ.

In spherical coordinates ( r , θ , φ ), r is the radial distance from the origin, θ is the zenith angle and φ is the azimuthal angle.

The flow velocity components ur and uθ are related to the Stokes stream function

The result is: Next the following algebra is performed: As a result, from the calculation the vorticity vector is found to be equal to: The cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems are related through As explained in the general stream function article, definitions using an opposite sign convention – for the relationship between the Stokes stream function and flow velocity – are also in use.

[3] In cylindrical coordinates, the divergence of the velocity field u becomes:[4] as expected for an incompressible flow.