Appendix A

Vector Notation
This Appendix will summarize various vector symbols and operations which are convenient for formulating
the equations of fluid motion. The operations will also be interpreted as vector-matrix products. A scalar
¯ , with the following cartesian components.
will be denoted here by α, vectors by u and v, and matrices by Ā
⎧ ⎫ ⎧ ⎫ ⎡ ⎤
⎨ux⎬ ⎨vx⎬ Axx Axy Axz
u ≡ uy v ≡ vy ¯ ≡ ⎣A A A ⎦
Ā yx yy yz
⎩ ⎭ ⎩ ⎭
uz vz Azx Azy Azz
A vector is assumed here to be a column vector by convention. Its transpose ()T is then a row vector, which
is sometimes needed to properly form vector-vector and vector-matrix products.

A.1 Vector and Matrix Multiplication

Vector Inner (Dot) Product / 0⎧ ⎫
uT ⎨ ⎬
u · v = uT v = v = ux vx + uy vy + uz vz (scalar)
⎩ ⎭

Vector Outer Product ⎧ ⎫/ 0 ⎡ ⎤

⎨ ⎬ vT ux vx ux vy ux vz
u ⊗ v = uvT = u = ⎣ uy vx uy vy uy vz ⎦ (matrix)
⎩ ⎭
uz vx uz vy uz vz

Matrix-Vector Product
⎡ ⎤⎧ ⎫ ⎧ ⎫
⎨ ⎬ ⎨Axx vx + Axy vy + Axz vz ⎬
Ā ¯v = ⎣
¯ · v = Ā ¯
Ā ⎦ v = Ayx vx + Ayy vy + Ayz vz (vector)
⎩ ⎭ ⎩ ⎭
Azx vx + Azy vy + Azz vz

Vector-Matrix-Vector Product
/ 0⎡ ⎤⎧ ⎫
uT ⎨ ⎬ ux (Axx vx + Axy vy + Axz vz )
u · Ā ¯v =
¯ · v = uT Ā ⎣ ¯
Ā ⎦ v = + uy (Ayx vx + Ayy vy + Ayz vz ) (scalar)
⎩ ⎭
+ uz (Azx vx + Azy vy + Azz vz )

Vector Cross Product

⇒
This is computed via the determinant, or via the antisymmetric matrix u formed from u’s components:
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤⎧ ⎫ ⎧ ⎫
x̂ ŷ ẑ 0 −uz uy ⎨ ⎬ ⎨ uy vz −uz vy ⎬
⇒
u × v = det⎣ ux uy uz ⎦ = u v = ⎣ uz 0 −ux ⎦ v = u v −ux vz (vector)
⎩ ⎭ ⎩ z x ⎭
vx vy vz −uy ux 0 ux vy −uy vx
242 Appendix A

Vector-Matrix Cross Product ⎡ ⎤

uy Azx −uz Ayx uy Azy −uz Ayy uy Azz −uz Ayz
¯ = ⇒ ¯ = ⎣ u A −u A
u × Ā u Ā z xx x zx uz Axy −ux Azy uz Axz −ux Azz ⎦ (matrix)
ux Ayx −uy Axx ux Ayy −uy Axy ux Ayz −uy Axz

A.2 Scalar and Vector Derivative Operations

Partial differentiation with respect to the x, y, z coordinates will be compactly denoted by ∂x , ∂y , ∂z .
Gradient of Scalar ⎧ ⎫
⎨ ∂x α ⎬
∇α = ∂ α (vector)
⎩ y ⎭
∂z α
Divergence of Vector
∇ · u = ∂x ux + ∂y uy + ∂z uz (scalar)
Curl of Vector ⎡ ⎤ ⎧ ⎫
x̂ ŷ ẑ ⎨ ∂y uz −∂z uy ⎬
∇ × u = det⎣ ∂x ∂y ∂z ⎦ = ∂z ux −∂x uz (vector)
⎩ ⎭
u x uy uz ∂x uy −∂y ux
Gradient of Vector
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
− (∇ux )T − | | | ∂x ux ∂y ux ∂z ux
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
∇u = ⎣ − (∇uy )T − ⎦ = ⎣∂xu ∂yu ∂zu⎦ = ⎣ ∂x uy ∂y uy ∂z uy ⎦ (matrix)
− (∇uz )T − | | | ∂x uz ∂y uz ∂z uz
This ∇u is not symmetric in general. It is symmetric only if u is irrotational, or ∇×u = 0.

A.3 Matrix Derivative Operations

¯.
The divergence of a matrix is unambiguous only for a symmetric matrix, denoted here by S̄
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
− STx − | | | Sxx Sxy Sxz Sxy = Syx
¯ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
S̄ = ⎣ − Sy − ⎦ = ⎣ Sx Sy Sz ⎦ = ⎣ Syx Syy Syz ⎦
T
, Sxz = Szx
− Sz −
T
| | | xzx Szy Szz Syz = Szy
¯ can be formed from the three vectors S , S , S in rows or columns. Note that these are not
As indicated, S̄ x y z
completely independent because of the three symmetry relations (Sx )y = Sxy = Syx = (Sy )x , etc.

Divergence of Symmetric Matrix

⎧ ⎫ ⎧ ⎫
⎨∇ · Sx⎬ ⎨∂x Sxx + ∂y Sxy + ∂z Sxz ⎬
¯ = ∇·S
∇ · S̄ = ∂x Syx + ∂y Syy + ∂z Syz (vector)
y
⎩ ⎭ ⎩ ⎭
∇ · Sz ∂x Szx + ∂y Szy + ∂z Szz

Divergence of Matrix-Vector Product (expanded)

     
¯ ¯ ¯
∇ · S̄ · u = ∇ · S̄ · u + S̄ · ∇ · u (scalar)
or equivalently
∂x (Sxx ux +Sxy uy +Sxz uz ) (∂x Sxx +∂y Sxy +∂z Sxz ) ux + (Sxx ∂x +Sxy ∂y +Sxz ∂z ) ux
+ ∂y (Syx ux +Syy uy +Syz uz ) = + (∂x Syx +∂y Syy +∂z Syz ) uy + (Syx ∂x +Syy ∂y +Syz ∂z ) uy
+ ∂z (Szx ux +Szy uy +Szz uz ) + (∂x Szx +∂y Szy +∂z Szz ) uz + (Szx ∂x +Szy ∂y +Szz ∂z ) uz