The Maximal Kinematical Invariance Group of Fluid Dynamics and Explosion–Implosion Duality

Abstract It has recently been found that supernova explosions can be simulated in the laboratory by implosions induced in a plasma by intense lasers. A theoretical explanation is that the inversion transformation, (Σ: t →−1/ t , x → x / t ), leaves the Euler equations of fluid dynamics, with standard polytropic exponent, invariant. This implies that the kinematical invariance group of the Euler equations is larger than the Galilei group. In this paper we determine, in a systematic manner, the maximal invariance group G of general fluid dynamics and show that it is a semi-direct product G = SL (2, R )⋌ G , where the SL (2, R ) group contains the time-translations, dilations, and the inversion Σ, and G is the static (nine-parameter) Galilei group. A subtle aspect of the inclusion of viscosity fields is discussed and it is shown that the Navier–Stokes assumption of constant viscosity breaks the SL (2, R ) group to a two-parameter group of time translations and dilations in a tensorial way. The 12-parameter group G is also known to be the maximal invariance group of the free Schrodinger equation. It originates in the free Hamilton–Jacobi equation which is central to both fluid dynamics and the Schrodinger equation.