5A.6
Vector and Tensor Algebra in Curvilinear Coordinates
827
Y
Fig.
A.6-2.
Unit vectors in rectangular and
cylindrical coordinates. The z-axis and the unit
6~
vector 6, have been omitted for simplicity.
6,
/
/
/
/
/
H
P(x,
y,
Z)
or
P(Y,
0,
Z)
/
/
/
/
/
/
-/\"
X
With these relations, derivatives of any scalar functions (including, of course, compo-
nents of vectors and tensors) with respect to
x,
y,
and
z
can be expressed in terms of de-
rivatives with respect to r, 0, and
z.
Having discussed the interrelationship of the coordinates and derivatives in the two
coordinate systems, we now turn to the relation between the unit vectors. We begin
by
noting that the unit vectors ti,, 6,, 6, (or 6,, 6,, 6, as we have been calling them) are inde-
pendent of position-that is, independent of
x,
y,
z.
In cylindrical coordinates the unit
vectors 6, and 6, will depend on position, as we can see in Fig. A.6-2. The unit vector 6, is
a vector of unit length in the direction of increasing r; the unit vector 6, is a vector of unit
length in the direction of increasing
8.
Clearly as the point
P
is moved around on the
xy-
plane, the directions of 6, and 6, change. Elementary trigonometrical arguments lead
to
the following relations:
6,
=
(
cos 0)S,
+
(
sin O)Sy
+
(OM,
6,
=
(-
sin 0)6,
+
(cos 0)6,
+
(016,
6,
=
(016,
+
(016,
+
(116,
These may be solved for 6,, S,, and 6, to give
The utility of these two sets of relations will be made clear in the next section.
Vectors and tensors can be decomposed into components with respect to cylindrical
coordinates as was done for Cartesian coordinates in Eqs. A.2-16 and A.3-7 (i.e.,
v
=
6,v,
+
6,v,
+
6,~~). Also, the multiplication rules for the unit vectors and unit dyads are the
same as in
Eqs.
A.2-14 and 15 and A.3-1 to 6. Consequently the various dot and cross
product operations (but
~ot
the differential operations!) are performed as described in
55A.2 and
3.
For example,
+
etc.