Dynamical aspects of a restricted three-vortex problem

Abstract

The restricted three-vortex problem is investigated with one of the point vortices fixed in the plane. The motion of the free vortex having zero circulation is explored from a rotating frame of reference within which the free vortex with non-zero circulation remains stationary. By using the basic dynamical system theory, it is shown that the vortex motion is always bounded and any configuration of vortices must go through at least one collinear state. The present analysis reveals that the inter-vortex distances in any non-fixed configuration of vortices are either periodic in time or aperiodic in time with vortices asymptotically converging to a collinear fixed configuration. The initial conditions required for different types of motion are explained in detail by exploiting the Hamiltonian structure of the problem.