Consider a stationary, axisymmetric planet, star, or disk differentially rotating under the action of a gravitational field.

Question:

Consider a stationary, axisymmetric planet, star, or disk differentially rotating under the action of a gravitational field. In other words, the motion is purely in the azimuthal direction.

(a) Suppose that the fluid has a barotropic equation of state P = P(ρ). Write down the equations of hydrostatic equilibrium, including the centrifugal force, in cylindrical polar coordinates. Hence show that the angular velocity must be constant on surfaces of constant cylindrical radius. This is called von Zeipel’s theorem. (As an application, Jupiter is differentially rotating and therefore might be expected to have similar rotation periods at the same latitudes in the north and the south. This is only roughly true, suggesting that the equation of state is not completely barotropic.)

(b) Now suppose that the structure is such that the surfaces of constant entropy per unit mass and angular momentum per unit mass coincide. Show that the Bernoulli function (13.51) is also constant on these surfaces.