Helmholtz decomposition and potential functions for n-dimensional analytic vector fields

Abstract

The Helmholtz decomposition splits a sufficiently smooth vector field into a gradient field and a divergence-free rotation field. Existing decomposition methods impose constraints on the behavior of vector fields at infinity and require solving convolution integrals over the entire coordinate space. To allow a Helmholtz decomposition in Rn, we replace the vector potential in R3 by the rotation potential, an n-dimensional, antisymmetric matrix-valued map describing n(n−1)/2 rotations within the coordinate planes. We provide three methods to derive the Helmholtz decomposition: (1) a numerical method for fields decaying at infinity by using an n-dimensional convolution integral, (2) closed-form solutions using line-integrals for several unboundedly growing fields including periodic and exponential functions, multivariate polynomials and their linear combinations, (3) an existence proof for all analytic vector fields. Examples include the Lorenz and Rössler attractor and the competitive Lotka–Volterra equations with n species.