LCS Tool : A Computational Platform for Lagrangian Coherent Structures

TL;DR

LCS Tool is a computational platform that applies the latest geodesic theory to identify Lagrangian coherent structures in 2D unsteady flows, revealing key transport barriers in fluid dynamics data.

Contribution

This paper introduces LCS Tool, a new computational engine implementing advanced geodesic theory for detecting LCSs in unsteady flows, with detailed algorithms and practical examples.

Findings

Successfully identifies key transport barriers in fluid flows

Demonstrates the effectiveness of LCS Tool on multiple flow examples

Provides a comprehensive computational framework for LCS analysis

Abstract

We give an algorithmic introduction to Lagrangian coherent structures (LCSs) using a newly developed computational engine, LCS Tool. LCSs are most repelling, attracting and shearing material lines that form the centerpieces of observed tracer patterns in two-dimensional unsteady dynamical systems. LCS Tool implements the latest geodesic theory of LCSs for two-dimensional flows, uncovering key transport barriers in unsteady flow velocity data as explicit solutions of differential equations. After a review of the underlying theory, we explain the steps and numerical methods used by LCS Tool, and illustrate its capabilities on three unsteady fluid flow examples.