Mechanics of Incompressible Test Bodies Moving in Riemannian Spaces

Abstract

In the present paper we have discussed the mechanics of incompressible test bodies moving in Riemannian spaces with non-trivial curvature tensors. For Hamilton's equations of motion the solutions have been obtained in the parametrical form and the special case of the purely gyroscopic motion on the sphere has been discussed. For the geodetic case when the potential is equal to zero the comparison between the geodetic and geodesic solutions have been done and illustrated in the case of a particular choice of the constants of motion of the problem. The obtained results could be applied, among others, in geophysical problems, e.g., for description of the motion of a drop of fat or a spot of oil on the surface of the ocean (e.g., produced during some "ecological disaster") or the motion of continental plates, or generally in biomechanical problems, e.g., for description of the motion of objects with internal structure on different curved two-dimensional surfaces (e.g., transport of proteins along the curved biological membranes).