Singularity of the axisymmetric stagnation-point-like solution within a cylinder of the 3-D Euler incompressible fluid equations
In this paper we investigate analytically the formation of finite time singularities in the three-dimensional (3-D) incompressible Euler equations under the Gibbon–Fokas–Doering model for vorticity stretching within a bounded cylindrical domain and under axisymmetric conditions. We derive explicit Lagrangian solutions for the vorticity, its stretching rate, fluid pathlines and velocity components by exploiting constants of motion associated with the field dependent infinitesimal symmetries of the system. The central finding is that the existence and nature of a finite time singularity are determined exclusively by the local geometric structure of the initial vortex stretching rate near its global minimum. Whether a singularity forms depends on how flat this profile is at the minimum. Flatter profiles delay the blowup and sufficient flatness can suppress it entirely. For power law behaviour near the minimum, critical thresholds for the exponent are identified which separate regular solutions from those that develop a finite time singularity. These thresholds differ depending on whether the singularity occurs at the centre of the cylinder or on a ring away from the centre, with minima at the centre requiring higher flatness to avoid blowup. This work provides a rigorous analytical framework that elucidates how the local geometric structure of the initial conditions governs the potential for singularity formation in 3-D fluid flows, offering fundamental insights into the interplay between symmetry, initial data and the development of extreme events in idealized turbulence.
Authors
- Yinshen Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1163-6827)
- Miguel D. Bustamante (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3360-0304)
Institutions
- University College Dublin (IE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Fluid Mechanics
- Published
- 2026-07-27
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2026.11847
- Primary Topic
- Navier-Stokes equation solutions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- University of Cambridge
- Science Foundation Ireland