Numerical computation of a three-dimensional vortex sheet in a swirl flow

We consider an incompressible and inviscid fluid flow, called "swirl flow" that rotates around a certain axis in three-dimensional space. We investiga te numerically the dynamics of a three-dimensional vortex sheet which is de fined as a surface across which the velocity field of the swirl flow change s discontinuously. The vortex method and a fast summation method are implem ented on a parallel computer. These numerical methods make it possible to c ompute the evolution of the vortex sheet for a long time and to describe th e complex dynamics of the sheet. (C) 2001 Published by The Japan Society of Fluid Mechanics and Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.