The Joukowski Transformations

From Unit Circles To Ellipses

Johar Ashfaque
The transform
1
W (z) = z +
z
where W (z) is a complex variable in the new space and z is the complex variable in the original space is
called a Joukowski transform. Since
dW 1 (z − 1)(z + 1)
=1− 2 =
dz z z2
the mapping is conformal except at the points where z = 1 and z = −1, respectively. At these points
W = 2 and W = −2, respectively. In fact, solving for z in terms of W we find
W 1p
z= ± (W + 2)(W − 2)
2 2
so that to any value of W 6= ±2 there corresponds two values of z. In fact the points W = 2 and W = −2
are called branch points and the transformation may be considered as a one to one mapping of the z-plane
onto a Riemann surface, connected crosswise from W = −2 to W = 2.

Now letting z = reiθ yields

   
1 1
φ= r+ cos θ, and ψ= r− sin θ
r r
which gives
φ2 ψ2
+ =1
a2 a2
where
1
a=r+
r
and  
 1 
b = r − .

r
This simply means that the circles r = c with c an arbitrary constant are mapped into ellipses. The unit
circle r = 1 maps onto the line segment from W = −2 to W = 2. For every r 6= 1, the two circles with
radii r and 1r map onto the same ellipse, and the full W -plane corresponds to the exterior (or interior) of
the unit circle |z| = 1.