Hamiltonian field description of two-dimensional vortex fluids and guiding center plasmas

Abstract

The equations that describe the motion of two-dimensional vortex fluids and guiding center plasmas are shown to possess underlying field Hamiltonian structure. A Poisson bracket which is given in terms of the vorticity, the physical although noncanonical dynamical variable, casts these equations into Heisenberg form. The Hamiltonian density is the kinetic energy density of the fluid. The well-known conserved quantities are seen to be in involution with respect to this Poisson bracket. Expanding the vorticity in terms of a Fourier-Dirac series transforms the field description given here into the usual canonical equations for discrete vortex motion. A Clebsch potential representation of the vorticity transforms the noncanonical field description into a canonical description.