A = B = C = a3 / 3r3,

φ = ½ Ux a3/r3 + 2 a3/a13,   ψ = ½ Uy2 a3/r3 − a3/a13;
1 − a4/a12 1 − a3/a13

(2)

and the effective inertia of the liquid in the interspace is

A0 + 2A1W′ = ½ a13 + 2a3W′.
2A0 − 2A1 a13 − a3

(3)

When the spheres are not concentric, an expression for the effective inertia can be found by the method of images (W. M. Hicks, Phil. Trans., 1880).

The image of a source of strength μ at S outside a sphere of radius a is a source of strength μa/ƒ at H, where OS = ƒ, OH = a2/ƒ, and a line sink reaching from the image H to the centre O of line strength −μ/a; this combination will be found to produce no flow across the surface of the sphere.

Taking Ox along OS, the Stokes’ function at P for the source S is μ cos PSx, and of the source H and line sink OH is μ(a/ƒ) cos PHx and −(μ/a)(PO − PH); so that

ψ = μ ( cos PSx + acos PHx − PO − PH),
ƒ a