15

Complex potential
As it was shown, the basic functions characterizing the properties of potential plane

x, y

x, y
motion, (i.e. stream function
interconnected by the equations

and velocity potential

), are

x y
,

y
x
.
In the theory of complex variable function these equations show the condition that
the complex combination of these 2functions of 2 actual variables, i.e.

x, y i x, y

z x iy
, is a complex variable function

. Lets put this

w
function through

w z i
.

(2.76)

w z
The function
is an analytical function of a variable and is called complex
potential or flow characteristic function.

w z i
Lets consider the derivative from complex potential

with respect

z x iy
to complex variable

. The expression for derivative will take the form

dw

i
dz x
x
y
y
.

(2.77)

By substituting the derivatives in the expression (2.76) by the formulae (5.73), well
obtain:

16

dw
V x iV y
dz
.
This expression is called complex velocity.

(2.78)