Godbillon-Vey Helicity and Magnetic Helicity in Magnetohydrodynamics

DOI10.1017/S0022377819000679arXiv1909.07291WikidataQ127099722 ScholiaQ127099722MaRDI QIDQ6325400FDOQ6325400

G. M. Webb, Qiang Hu, A. Prasad, Stephen C. Anco

Publication date: 16 September 2019

Abstract: The Godbillon-Vey invariant occurs in homology theory, and algebraic topology, when conditions for a co-dimension 1, foliation of a 3D manifold are satisfied. The magnetic Godbillon-Vey helicity invariant in magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) is a higher order helicity invariant that occurs for flows, in which the magnetic helicity density $$, where $$ is the magnetic vector potential and $$ is the magnetic induction. This paper obtains evolution equations for the magnetic Godbillon-Vey field $$ and the Godbillon-Vey helicity density $$ in general MHD flows in which either $h_m=0$ or $h_{m}eq0$. A conservation law for $h_{gv}$ occurs in flows for which $h_m=0$. For $h_{m}eq0$ the evolution equation for $h_{gv}$ contains a source term in which $h_m$ is coupled to $h_{gv}$ via the shear tensor of the background flow. The transport equation for $h_{gv}$ also depends on the electric field potential $psi$, which is related to the gauge for $$, which takes its simplest form for the advected $$ gauge in which $$ where $$ is the fluid velocity. An application of the Godbillon-Vey magnetic helicity to nonlinear force-free magnetic fields used in solar physics is investigated. The possible uses of the Godbillon-Vey helicity in zero helicity flows in ideal fluid mechanics, and in zero helicity Lagrangian kinematics of three-dimensional advection are discussed.

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