A semi-analytic approach to the self-induced motion of vortex sheets

The rolling-up of the trailing vortex sheet produced by a wing of finite span is calculated as a series expansion in time. For a vorticity distribution corresponding to a wing with cusped tips, the shape of the sheet is found by summing the series using Pade approximants. The sheet remains analytic for some time but ultimately develops an exponential spiral at the tips. The centroid of vorticity is conserved to high accuracy.