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  • © 2018

Magnetohydrodynamics and Fluid Dynamics: Action Principles and Conservation Laws

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  • Authored by a leading expert in the field
  • Self-contained graduate-level text
  • Discusses both fundamentals and applications

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics (LNP, volume 946)

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
  2. Introduction

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 1-7
  3. The Model

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 9-20
  4. Helicity in Fluids and MHD

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 21-36
  5. Advected Invariants

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 53-67
  6. Topological Invariants

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 69-113
  7. Euler-Poincaré Equation Approach

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 115-136
  8. Hamiltonian Approach

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 137-166
  9. Multi-Symplectic Clebsch Approach

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 167-189
  10. The Lagrangian Map

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 191-208
  11. MHD Stability

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 229-253
  12. Concluding Remarks

    • Gary Webb
    Pages 255-258
  13. Back Matter

    Pages 259-301

About this book

This text focuses on conservation laws in magnetohydrodynamics, gasdynamics and hydrodynamics. A grasp of new conservation laws is essential in fusion and space plasmas, as well as in geophysical fluid dynamics; they can be used to test numerical codes, or to reveal new aspects of the underlying physics, e.g., by identifying the time history of the fluid elements as an important key to understanding fluid vorticity or in investigating the stability of steady flows.

The ten Galilean Lie point symmetries of the fundamental action discussed in this book give rise to the conservation of energy, momentum, angular momentum and center of mass conservation laws via Noether’s first theorem. The advected invariants are related to fluid relabeling symmetries – so-called diffeomorphisms associated with the Lagrangian map – and are obtained by applying the Euler-Poincare approach to Noether’s second theorem.

The book discusses several variants of helicity including kinetic helicity, crosshelicity, magnetic helicity, Ertels’ theorem and potential vorticity, the Hollman invariant, and the Godbillon Vey invariant. The book develops the non-canonical Hamiltonian approach to MHD using the non-canonical Poisson bracket, while also refining the multisymplectic approach to ideal MHD and obtaining novel nonlocal conservation laws. It also briefly discusses Anco and Bluman’s direct method for deriving conservation laws. 

A range of examples is used to illustrate topological invariants in MHD and fluid dynamics, including the Hopf invariant, the Calugareanu invariant, the Taylor magnetic helicity reconnection hypothesis for magnetic fields in highly conducting plasmas, and the magnetic helicity of Alfvén simple waves, MHD topological solitons, and the Parker Archimedean spiral magnetic field. The Lagrangian map is used to obtain a class of solutions for incompressible MHD. The Aharonov-Bohm interpretation of magnetic helicity and cross helicity is discussed. In closing, examples of magnetosonic N-waves are used to illustrate the role of the wave number and group velocity concepts for MHD waves. 

This self-contained and pedagogical guide to the fundamentals will benefit postgraduate-level newcomers and seasoned researchers alike.

Reviews

“The book focuses on conservation laws in magnetohydrodynamics and gas dynamics. … The book discusses several variants of helicity including kinetic helicity, cross helicity and magnetic helicity. … This book could be used as a guide to the applications of conservation laws in in MHD.” (Titus Petrila, zbMATH 1397.76001, 2018)

Authors and Affiliations

  • CSPAR, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, USA

    Gary Webb

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access