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CURVILINEAR COORDINATES
Def. Reciprocal sets of vectors. The sets of vectors a, b, c and a', b', c' are called
reciprocal sets or systems of vectors if
The sets a, b, c and a', b', c' are reciprocal sets if and only if
u1 = u1(x, y, z)
1) u2 = u2(x, y, z)
u3 = u3(x, y, z)
For example, cylindrical coordinates are related to rectangular coordinates by the transformation
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x = r cos θ
y = r sin θ
z=z
where r, θ, and z correspond to the u1, u2, and u3 of systems 1) and 2).
A general characteristic of a system of equations of type 1) above that is being used in this way ---
i.e. used to relate the coordinates of some general point P in space as referred two different
coordinate systems — is that it represents a one-to-one mapping over that domain on which it will
be used and thus possesses an inverse on that domain.
The various non-rectangular coordinate systems have given rise to a generalization of the concept
of a coordinate system in the idea of a generalized (curvilinear) coordinate system employing
curvilinear coordinates as follows.
This system can be viewed as a function that assigns a number pair (u, v) to each number pair (x,
y). Let us suppose that the system effects a one-to-one mapping over some region R of the xy-
plane, mapping region R into region R' of the uv-plane. This will be the case if the transformation
is continuously differentiable and the Jacobian does not vanish at any point within region R. In
this case this system of equations associates a unique pair of numbers (u, v) to each number pair
(x, y) in region R. If a point P0 has coordinates (x0, y0) in the xy-plane transformation 3) associates
with point P0 the number pair (u0, v0). Why can we not use (u0, v0) as the coordinates of point P0?
Why can we not regard system 3) as defining a transformation between the x-y coordinate system
and some other unknown coordinate system (a coordinate system whose nature and characteristics
we don’t know) and refer to point P by its coordinates in that system? This is the idea underlying a
generalized (curvilinear) coordinate system. An important stipulation on the use of this idea,
however, is that it can only be used in a region where the mapping is one-to-one. Depending on
the defining equations 3), the domain of the mapping might be the entire xy-plane or it might be
necessary to limit the domain to a relatively small region in the plane or even just the immediate
neighborhood of some selected point. The domain must be chosen in such a way so as to avoid
any points where the Jacobian vanishes. For insight into the type of situation one may encounter
consider the following question
Question. Given some selected point (u0, v0) in the uv-plane, what points in the xy-plane will map
into it?
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u(x, y) = u0
v(x, y) = v0
u-curves and v-curves. Let us now suppose that the mapping 3) effects a one-to-one
mapping over some region R of the xy-plane, mapping region R into region R' of the uv-plane and
that the inverse transformation is given by
4) x = x(u, v)
y = y(u, v) .
If we regard u as fixed in system 4) i.e. u = c1, a constant, then system 4) becomes a system in a
single variable v describing a curve where v is the varying parameter. For each different value of u
there is a separate curve. These curves are called v-curves. Similarly one can let v = c2, a constant,
and obtain a u-curve where u is the varying parameter. One thus obtains families of u-curves and
v-curves. The u-curves and v-curves are called coordinate curves. These coordinate
curves form a curvilinear net on the surface similar to the coordinate net on a plane.
Fig. 2 shows a mesh of quadrilaterals formed by the u-curves and v-curves in the xy-plane by a
parameterization of u and v in the immediate vicinity of a point of interest P. The u-curves and
v-curves map into mutually perpendicular lines in the uv-plane. Points on the v-curve u(x, y) = c1
map into the line u = c1 and points on the u-curve v(x, y) = c2 map into the line v = c2.
x = x(u, v)
5) y = y(u, v)
z = z(u, v)
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of a region R of
the uv-plane into
xyz-space. The
parametric
equations 5)
assign a point (x,
y, z) to each
number pair (u,
v). The number
pair (u, v) can be
considered a set of coordinates for a point P(x, y, z). The numbers (u, v) are called the curvilinear
coordinates of point P. If we regard u as fixed in system 5) i.e. u = c, a constant, then system 5)
becomes a system in a single variable v describing a space curve where v is the varying parameter.
For each different value of u there is a separate space curve. These curves are called v-curves.
Similarly one can let v = k, a constant, and obtain a u-curve where u is the varying parameter. One
thus obtains families of u-curves and v-curves. The u-curves and v-curves are called coordinate
curves. These coordinate curves form a curvilinear net on the surface similar to the coordinate net
on a plane. See Fig. 3.
defined over some region R of u1-u2-u3 space, mapping R into region R' in xyz-space. Let the
inverse transformation be
u1 = u1(x, y, z)
7) u2 = u2(x, y, z)
u3 = u3(x, y, z) .
Region R might be all of u1-u2-u3 space or only some small, localized region. Within region R the
mapping is continuously differentiable and the Jacobian is nonvanishing.
The parametric equations 6) assign a point (x, y, z) to each number triple (u1, u2, u3). The number
triple (u1, u2, u3) can be considered a set of coordinates for a point P(x, y, z). The numbers (u1, u2,
u3) are called the curvilinear coordinates of point P.
u1(x, y, z) = c1
u2(x, y, z) = c2
u3(x, y, z) = c3
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where c1, c2, c3 are constants, are called coordinate surfaces and each pair of these surfaces
intersect in curves called coordinate curves. See Fig. 4. Each of the three surfaces represents one
of a family of surfaces generated by different values of the parameter ci (constant term). The
family corresponding to u1(x, y, z) = c1 are called the u1 surfaces, the family corresponding to u2
(x, y, z) = c2 are called the u2 surfaces, etc. The curve corresponding to the intersection of a u1
surface with a u2 surface is called a u3-curve (it is also sometimes called a u1u2-curve, depending
on the author). See Fig. 3. Similarly for the other coordinate curves.
If we regard u2 and u3 as fixed in system 6) i.e. u2 = c2, u3 = c3, then 6) becomes a system in a
single variable u1 describing a space curve where u1 is the varying parameter, namely the
u1-curve. If we regard u1 and u3 as fixed in system 6) i.e. u1 = c1, u3 = c3, then 6) becomes a
system in a single variable u2 describing a space curve where u2 is the varying parameter, namely
the u2-curve. Similarly for the u3-curves.
The u1, u2, and u3 coordinate curves of a curvilinear system correspond to the x, y and z axes of a
rectangular system. Since the three coordinate curves are generally not straight lines, as in the
rectangular coordinate system, such coordinate systems are called curvilinear coordinate
systems.
Expressions for the unit base vectors e1, e2, e3 and E1, E2, E3.. Let r = x i + y j + z k
be a position vector of a point P. Then, from 5),
● The three unit vectors e1, e2, e3 tangent to the u1, u2, and u3 coordinate curves are given by
where
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The quantities h1, h2 and h3 are called scale factors. The unit vectors e1, e2, e3 are in the
directions of increasing u1, u2, u3, respectively.
● The three unit vectors E1, E2, E3 normal to the u1, u2, and u3 coordinate surfaces are given by
where
where A1, A2, A3 and a1, a2, a3 are the respective components of A in each system.
which are called unitary base vectors but are not unit vectors, in general. In this case
and
where
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C1, C2, C3 are called the contravariant components of A and c1, c2, c3 are called the covariant
components of A.
We shall also assume that e1, e2, e3 form a right handed system.
● In an orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system the base vectors e1, e2, e3 and E1, E2, E3
become identical i.e.
e1 = E1, e2 = E2, e3 = E3 .
we obtain
The differential of arc length ds is determined from ds2 = dr•dr. For orthogonal systems, e1•e2 =
e2•e3 = e3•e1 = 0 and
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Thus, referring to Fig. 6, the volume element for an orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system is
given by
1. Cylindrical coordinates
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2. Spherical coordinates
3. Parabolic cylindrical coordinates
4. Parabolic coordinates
5. Elliptic cylindrical coordinates
6. Prolate spheroidal coordinates
7. Oblate spheroidal coordinates
8. Ellipsoidal coordinates
9. Bipolar coordinates
See Murray R. Spiegel. Vector Analysis. (Schaum) for more information on these coordinate
systems.
References.
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