Dynamics and statics of vortices on a plane and a sphere. I (Q1286766)

The authors present a new formulation of the problem of point vortices on a plane and on a sphere by using ``internal'' variables. The Hamiltonian equations of motion of vortices on the plane are constructed on the Lie-Poisson algebra, and in the case of vortices on the sphere on quadratic Jacobi algebras. The latter description is obtained by deformation of the corresponding linear algebra. Some partial solutions of the systems for three and four vortices are analyzed, and stationary and static vortex configurations are found.