Title: Coaxial collisions of a vortex ring and a sphere in an inviscid incompressible fluid,
Abstract: The dynamics of a circular thin vortex ring and a sphere moving along the
symmetry axis of the ring in an inviscid incompressible fluid is studied on the
basis of Euler's equations of motion. The equations of motion for position and
radius of the vortex ring and those for position and velocity of the sphere are
coupled by hydrodynamic interactions. The equations are cast in Hamiltonian
form, from which it is seen that total energy and momentum are conserved. The
four Hamiltonian equations of motion are solved numerically for a variety of
initial conditions.