The decay at large wavenumbers of the energy density in an inertial wave generated in a sphere by an arbitrary initial disturbance is determined as a first step to a comparison with the general theory of Phillips [17] for a statistically steady field of random inertial waves in an arbitrary cavity.

Defining a spherical Struve function we show that the Struve transform of half integer order, or spherical Struve transform,

where n is a non-negative integer, may under suitable conditions be solved for f(t):

where is the sum of the first n + 1 terms in the asymptotic expansion of φn(x) as x → ∞. The coefficients in the asymptotic expansion are identified as

It is further shown that functions φn (x) which are representable as spherical Struve transforms satisfy n + 1 integral constraints, which in turn allow the construction of many equivalent inversion formulae.

The motion of small, near neutrally buoyant tracers in vortex flows of several types is obtained on the basis of Charwat's mathematical model, which is highly non-linear.

The solution method in the non-degenerate case expresses the squared orbital radius r2 as a product AA*, where the complex number A satisfies a second-order linear differential ‘factor equation’, generally with variable coefficients. The angular coordinate is expressed in terms of log(A*/A). Solid-type rotation and sinusoidally perturbed solid-type rotation correspond respectively to constant coefficients and sinusoidal coefficients. The former exactly yields a scalloped spiral tracer motion; the latter yields unstable tracer motion as t → ∞ except when the perturbing frequency and amplitude are rather specially related to the flow and tracer parameters. Free vortex motion is somewhat degenerate for this solution method but can be partially analyzed in terms of solutions of a generalized Emden–Fowler equation. The method can be used for other planar flow problems with a symmetry axis.

Iterative methods for solving systems of linear equations may be accelerated by coarse mesh rebalance techniques. The iterative technique, the Method of Implicit Non-stationary Iteration (MINI), is examined through a local-mode Fourier analysis and compared to relaxation techniques as a potential candidate for such acceleration. Results of a global-mode Fourier analysis for MINI, relaxation methods, and the conjugate gradient method are reported for two test problems.

A theorem is derived for the hydrodynanuc image of an axially symmetric slow viscous (Stokes) flow in a sphere which is impermeable and free of shear stress. A second theorem establishes a sense in which such a flow past an arbitrary rigid surface or shear-free sphere becomes, on inversion in an arbitrary sphere with its centre on the axis of symmetry, a flow past the rigid or shear-free inverse of that surface or sphere.

The theorems are used to simplify the proofs of a number of known results for images of point singularities in plane and spherical rigid and free boundaries, and for a pair of bubbles rising steadily in line in a viscous fluid. They also give for the first time accurate numerical solutions for the velocities of each of a larger number of spherical bubbles rising quasi-steadily in line. These enable one to assess the accuracy of simple approximations to those velocities.

We discuss general, time-dependent, linear systems of second-order ordinary differential equations. A study is made of the similarities and discrepancies between the inverse problem of Lagrangian mechanics on the one hand, and the search for linear dynamical symmetries on the other hand.

In this paper we study the effect of forced and free convection heat transfer on flow in an axisymmctric tube whose radius varies slowly in the axial direction. Asymptotic series expansions in terms of a small parameter ∈, which is a measure of the radius variation, are obtained for the velocity components, pressure and temperature on the assumption that the Reynolds number (R) is of order one. The effect of the free convection parameter or Grashof number (G) on the axial velocity, temperature distribution, shear stress and heat flux at the wall are discussed quantitatively for a locally constricted tube.

A Galerkin-Petrov method for the approximate solution of the complete singular integral equation with Cauchy kernel, based upon the use of two sets of orthogonal polynomials, is considered. The principal result of this paper proves convergence of the approximate solutions to the exact solution making use of a convergence theorem previously given by the author. In conclusion, some related topics such as a first iterate of the approximate solution and a discretized Galerkin-Petrov method are considered. The paper extends to a much more general equation many results obtained by other authors in particular cases.

Bounds are presented for the modulus of the complex growth rate p of an arbitrary oscillatory perturbation, neutral or unstable, in some double-diffusive problems of relevance in oceanography, astrophysics and non-Newtonian fluid mechanics.