Steady circulation-preserving motions with certain conditions on the Rivlin-Ericksen tensors \(A_ 1\) and \(A_ 2\) (Q1264053)

Let \(v(x)\) be the velocity field for a steady motion, where x is the representative spatial point. We require that the motion be isochoric, so that \(\text{div}\nu =0.\) The motion is circulation-preserving, so that the acceleration is a lamellar vectorfield, which means that \(\text{curl}(\omega \times \nu)=0,\) where \(\omega = \text{curl}\nu\) is the vorticity. The first and second Rivlin-Ericksen tensors associated with this motion are given by \[ A_ 1=\text{grad} \nu +(\text{grad} \nu)^ T \] and \[ A_ 2=\dot A_ 1+A_ 1\cdot (\text{grad} \nu)^ T+(\text{grad} \nu)\cdot A_ 1 \] \[ =\nu \cdot \text{grad} A_ 1+A_ 1\cdot (\text{grad} \nu)^ T+(\text{grad} \nu)\cdot A_ 1, \] respectively. We consider motions for which the proper numbers of \(A_ 1\) are constant, distinct and non-vanishing, and for which, in addition, the proper vectors of \(A_ 1\) and \(A_ 2\) coincide. We give a proof of the following kinematical theorem: The only steady isochoric circulation-preserving motions for which the proper numbers of \(A_ 1\) are constant, distinct and non-vanishing and for which, moreover, \(A_ 1\) and \(A_ 2\) have the same unit proper vectors, are irrotational motions.