The Spectrum of a linearized 2D Euler operator

Abstract

We study the spectral properties of the linearized Euler operator obtained by linearizing the equations of incompressible two dimensional fluid at a steady state with the vorticity that contains only two nonzero complex conjugate Fourier modes. We prove that the essential spectrum coincides with the imaginary axis, and give an estimate from above for the number of isolated nonimaginary eigenvalues. In addition, we prove that the spectral mapping theorem holds for the group generated by the linearized 2D Euler operator.