Helmholtz Decomposition

Rotational and Divergent Flow

CLIM 753
General Circulation of the Atmosphere
David M. Straus
George Mason University

July 6, 2017

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

It is useful to write the horizontal velocity field on the sphere in

terms of the Helmholtz decomposition:

~v = ~vψ + ~vχ = ~vr + ~vd (1)

where
I ~vψ = ~vr is called the rotational component
I ~vχ = ~vd is called the divergent component
The rotational component describes swirling flow, and has no
divergence,. Simple examples of flow which is purely divergent or
rotational are given in Figures 1 and 2.

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

Figure: 1. Illustration of a flow which is purely divergent

(https://www.quora.com/How-can-you-best-explain-divergence-and-curl)
CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow
 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

Figure: 2. Illustration of a flow which has no divergence

(https://www.quora.com/How-can-you-best-explain-divergence-and-curl)

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

A general statement of the decomposition is given as:

~ + ∇χ
~v = ~vψ + ~vχ = −k̂ × ∇ψ ~ (2)

where k̂ is the unit vector in the vertical, ψ is the streamfunction

and χ the velocity potential. In Cartesian coordinates, we can
write each component out:
∂ψ ∂ψ
~vψ = (ur , vr ) = (− , ) (3)
∂y ∂x
∂χ ∂χ
~vχ = (ud , vd ) = (+ , ) (4)
∂x ∂y

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

Compute the divergence of ~vr and ~vd from eqns. 3 and 4:

~ · ~vr = ∂ur + ∂vr = 0

∇ (5)
∂x ∂y
 2
∂2

~ ∂ud ∂vd ∂
∇ · ~vd = + = + χ = ∇2 χ (6)
∂x ∂y ∂x 2 ∂y 2

Compute the curl of ~vr and ~vd from eqns. 3 and 4:

 2
∂2

~ ∂vr ∂ur ∂
k̂ · (∇ × ~vr ) = − = + ψ = ∇2 ψ (7)
∂x ∂y ∂x 2 ∂y 2

~ × ~vd ) = ∂vd − ∂ud = 0

k̂ · (∇ (8)
∂x ∂y
The rotational flow is non-divergent, and the divergent flow is
irrotational (i.e. zero curl).
CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow
 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

In spherical coordinates, the basic results are the same. Equations

3 and 4 become:
1 ∂ψ 1 ∂ψ
~vψ = (uψ , vψ ) = (− , ) (9)
a ∂φ a cos(φ) ∂λ

1 ∂χ 1 ∂χ
~vχ = (uχ , vχ ) = ( , ) (10)
a cos(φ) ∂λ a ∂φ

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

The divergence of ~vψ and ~vχ are:

 
~ · ~vψ = 1 ∂u ψ ∂
∇ + (cos(φ)vψ ) = 0 (11)
a cos(φ) ∂λ ∂φ
 
~ 1 ∂uχ ∂
∇ · ~vχ = + (cos(φ)vχ ) =
a cos(φ) ∂λ ∂φ
1 ∂2χ 1 ∂
+ 2 (cos(φ) χ) = ∇2 χ (12)
a2 cos2 (φ) ∂λ2 a cos(φ) ∂φ

In the primitive equations, mass continuity is expressed as:

~ · ~vχ + ∂ω = 0
∇ (13)
∂p
so that the divergence circulation is strongly coupled to ω.

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

Using eqns. 9 and 10, the curl of ~vψ and ~vχ are:
 
~ × ~vψ ) = 1 ∂v ψ ∂
k̂ · (∇ − (uψ cos(φ)) = ∇2 ψ (14)
a cos(φ) ∂λ ∂φ
 
~ 1 ∂vχ ∂
k̂ · (∇ × ~vχ ) = − (uχ cos(χ)) = 0 (15)
a cos(χ) ∂λ ∂χ

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

Wind vector and isotachs at 500 hPa December-February 36.6m/s

+1.
+0. m/sec
+5. 50
+0. +10.
+2. +6.
+0. +8. +12. 45
+15.
+12. +15. +9.
+7.
40
+27.
+37.
+22.
+26.
+16. 35
+1.
+0. +1. +0.
+5.
+0. 30
+3.
+4.
+0. +0. +6.
+0. +1. 25
+0.
+4.
+0. +0. +0.

+6. 20

+27. +27.
+22. 15
+20.

+0. +0.
+0.
+0.
10
+0. +0. +1.
+7. +4. +0.
5

Figure: 3. DJF Climate of 500 hPa (u,v) from ERA40

This level is dominated by rotational flow.

(http://193.63.95.1/research/era/ERA-40 Atlas/docs/)

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow

 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

Streamfunction (106m2s-1) with velocity potential (106m2s-1) at 200 hPa December-February

4
-140 -140 4 -140
0 -14
0
-140 -120
4 -120 -120
-120 4 -100
-120
-100 8 -100
-100 -100 -80 8
-80 -80 -4 -80 -80
-60 -60 -60 -60
7 -40 10
0 -20 -40
-20 0 -40 -20
20 -1 9 -40
-20 0
-4 0 0 8 -20 8
4 0
0
0 20 -8 4 4 4 20
20
4
-4
-12 20 6 0
-8
-1

0
20 40

-4

4
20 40 20
40 40
-8 60 60 40
60 0 60
60
80 80 800 80
0 80
-4 100 100 100 100
100
120 120 120 120
120

140 -4
140 -4
140

Figure: 4. DJF Climate of 200 hPa ψ and χ from ERA40.

Rotational winds are oriented parallel to isolines of ψ.
Divergent winds are oriented normal to isolines of χ.
CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow
 Cartesian coordinates
Helmholtz Decomposition Spherical coordinates
Examples in the General Circulation

Zonal mean wind December-February

100
15
30
-2
-15
-2 0
-2 m/sec
0 0
15
2
2 100
15
2 80
2
200 0
60
50
300 40

15
35
30

30
400 25

15
20

15

2
15
Pressure (hPa)

500 10
5

2
2

15

-2
0
2
-2

0
600
2

-5
-10
700 -15
-20

15
-25
800
-30

0
-35

-2
2
-40
0

-50

-2
900
-60
-2

-2
2 -80

-2
2
0
2
0

1000
-100
80 NO
60 N
O
40 N
O
20 N
O
0 O
20 SO
40 S O
60 S
O
80 S
O

Figure: 5. DJF Climate of [u] from ERA40

1
R 2π
[u] = 2π 0 dλ u ; [u] = [uψ ] ; [v ] = [vχ ]
NOTE! [vψ ] = 0

CLIM 753 David M. Straus Rotational and Divergent Flow