General Fractional Vector Calculus

A generalization of fractional vector calculus (FVC) as a self-consistent mathematical theory is proposed to take into account a general form of non-locality in kernels of fractional vector differential and integral operators. Self-consistency involves proving generalizations of all fundamental theorems of vector calculus for generalized kernels of operators. In the generalization of FVC from power-law nonlocality to the general form of nonlocality in space, we use the general fractional calculus (GFC) in the Luchko approach, which was published in 2021. This paper proposed the following: (I) Self-consistent definitions of general fractional differential vector operators: the regional and line general fractional gradients, the regional and surface general fractional curl operators, the general fractional divergence are proposed. (II) Self-consistent definitions of general fractional integral vector operators: the general fractional circulation, general fractional flux and general fractional volume integral are proposed. (III) The general fractional gradient, Green’s, Stokes’ and Gauss’s theorems as fundamental theorems of general fractional vector calculus are proved for simple and complex regions. The fundamental theorems (Gradient, Green, Stokes, Gauss theorems) of the proposed general FVC are proved for a wider class of domains, surfaces and curves. All these three parts allow us to state that we proposed a calculus, which is a general fractional vector calculus (General FVC). The difficulties and problems of defining general fractional integral and differential vector operators are discussed to the nonlocal case, caused by the violation of standard product rule (Leibniz rule), chain rule (rule of differentiation of function composition) and semigroup property. General FVC for orthogonal curvilinear coordinates, which includes general fractional vector operators for the spherical and cylindrical coordinates, is also proposed.

Efficient wave-mode separation in vertical transversely isotropic media

Wave-mode separation can be achieved by projecting elastic wavefields onto mutually orthogonal polarization directions. In isotropic media, because the P-wave’s polarization vectors are consistent with wave vectors, the isotropic separation operators are represented by divergence and curl operators, which are easy to realize. In anisotropic media, polarization vectors deviate from wave vectors based on local anisotropic strength and separation operators lose their simplicity. Conventionally, anisotropic wave-mode separation is implemented either by direct filtering in the wavenumber domain or nonstationary filtering in the space domain, which are computationally expensive. Moreover, in conventional anisotropic separation, correcting for amplitude and phase changes of waveforms by applying separation operators is also more difficult than in an isotropic case. We have developed new operators for efficient wave-mode separation in vertical transversely isotropic (VTI) media. Our separation operators are constructed by local rotation of wave vectors to directions where the quasi-P (qP) wave is polarized. The deviation angles between the wave vectors and the qP-wave’s polarization vectors are explicitly estimated using the Poynting vectors. Obtaining polarization directions by rotating wave vectors yields separation operators in VTI media with the same forms as divergence and curl operators, except that the spatial derivatives are now rotated to implement wavefield projections in accurate polarization directions. The main increase in computational cost relative to isotropic separation operators is the estimation of the Poynting vectors, which is relatively small within elastic-wave extrapolation. As a result, applying the proposed operators is efficient. In the meantime, the waveforms corrections for divergence and curl operators can be directly extended for our new operators due to the similarities between these operators. By numerical exercises, we have determined that wave modes can be well-separated with small numerical cost using the present separation operators. The conservation of energy in wave-mode separation by applying waveform corrections was also verified.

A NONLOCAL VECTOR CALCULUS, NONLOCAL VOLUME-CONSTRAINED PROBLEMS, AND NONLOCAL BALANCE LAWS

A vector calculus for nonlocal operators is developed, including the definition of nonlocal divergence, gradient, and curl operators and the derivation of the corresponding adjoint operators. Nonlocal analogs of several theorems and identities of the vector calculus for differential operators are also presented. Relationships between the nonlocal operators and their differential counterparts are established, first in a distributional sense and then in a weak sense by considering weighted integrals of the nonlocal adjoint operators. The operators of the nonlocal calculus are used to define volume-constrained problems that are analogous to elliptic boundary-value problems for differential operators; this is demonstrated via some examples. Another application discussed is the posing of abstract nonlocal balance laws and deriving the corresponding nonlocal field equations; this is demonstrated for heat conduction and the peridynamics model for continuum mechanics.

VAGO METHOD FOR THE SOLUTION OF ELLIPTIC SECOND‐ORDER BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS

Mathematical physics problems are often formulated using differential operators of vector analysis, i.e. invariant operators of first order, namely, divergence, gradient and rotor (curl) operators. In approximation of such problems it is natural to employ similar operator formulations for grid problems. The VAGO (Vector Analysis Grid Operators) method is based on such a methodology. In this paper the vector analysis difference operators are constructed using the Delaunay triangulation and the Voronoi diagrams. Further the VAGO method is used to solve approximately boundary value problems for the general elliptic equation of second order. In the convection‐diffusion‐reaction equation the diffusion coefficient is a symmetric tensor of second order.

Wave‐field separation in two‐dimensional anisotropic media

Until recently, the term “elastic” usually implied two‐dimensional (2-D) and isotropic. In this limited context, the divergence and curl operators have found wide use as wave separation operators. For example, Mora (1987) used them in his inversion method to allow separate correlation of P and S arrivals, although the separation is buried in the math and not obvious. Clayton (1981) used them explicitly in several modeling and inversion methods. Devaney and Oristaglio (1986) used closely related operators to separate P and S arrivals in elastic VSP data.