Polya Vector Field May 2026
The of (f) is defined as the vector field in the plane given by
The Pólya field (\mathbfV_f) is exactly (w) — so it is a (gradient of a harmonic function, also curl-free and divergence-free locally).
Let [ f(z) = u(x,y) + i,v(x,y) ] be an analytic function on a domain (D \subset \mathbbC). polya vector field
We want (\mathbfV_f = (u, -v) = (\partial \psi / \partial y,; -\partial \psi / \partial x)). From the first component: (\partial \psi / \partial y = u). From the second: (-\partial \psi / \partial x = -v \Rightarrow \partial \psi / \partial x = v).
Thus (\nabla \psi = (v, u)). Check integrability: (\partial_x (v) = v_x = u_y) and (\partial_y (u) = u_y) — they match. So (\psi) exists (since domain simply connected). So: The of (f) is defined as the vector
Equivalently, if (f = u+iv), then (\mathbfV_f = (u, -v)). The Pólya vector field is the conjugate of the complex velocity field (\overlinef(z)). Indeed, (\overlinef(z) = u - i v), which as a vector in (\mathbbR^2) is ((u, -v)).
Thus the Pólya field rotates the usual representation of (f) by reflecting across the real axis. Write (f(z) = u + i v). Then: From the first component: (\partial \psi / \partial y = u)
Indeed, the stream function (\psi) such that (\mathbfV_f = ( \psi_y, -\psi_x )) can be taken as (\psi = -v). Check: [ \psi_y = -v_y = -(-u_x) = u_x? \text Wait carefully. ] Better: Let (\psi = -v). Then (\nabla^\perp \psi = (\psi_y, -\psi_x) = (-v_y, v_x)). But by Cauchy–Riemann, (v_x = u_y), (v_y = -u_x), so ((-v_y, v_x) = (u_x, u_y)) — that’s (\nabla u), not (\mathbfV_f). So that’s not correct. Let's derive cleanly:
