Abstract
A dynamical model of dipolar vortices in two-dimensional incompressible flows is derived. The dipolar vortex consists of equal and opposite vortices. In the moment model, the dipolar vortex is characterized by time-dependent variables: the centroid position, vorticity moments, and the length scale which is the distance between the positive vortex and the negative vortex comprising the dipole. The motion of the dipolar vortex is described by a set of ordinary differential equations for these variables derived from the conservation of momentum. The moment model is used to study interactions of two collinear dipoles such as a direct scattering, an exchange scattering, and a merging process. Results of the model are compared with the point vortex analysis and numerical simulations.
