Druckfeld

Druckfeld, or pressure field, is a spatial distribution of mechanical pressure in a medium. It is typically represented as a scalar field p(x, t) that assigns to every point x in the domain and time t the local pressure exerted by surrounding matter.

In fluid dynamics, the pressure field interacts with flow via the momentum equations. The pressure gradient ∇p drives acceleration; in incompressible flows, continuity plus the Navier–Stokes equations determine p up to boundary conditions. In acoustics, p(x, t) satisfies the wave equation and describes propagating sound waves.

Examples and special cases include hydrostatic pressure in a fluid at rest under gravity, expressed as p(z) = p0 + ρ g z for a vertical coordinate z. The atmospheric pressure field varies with altitude and weather patterns. In flowing media, the total pressure is often considered as a sum of static and dynamic components, with the dynamic pressure commonly given by 1/2 ρ v^2 in appropriate contexts.

Measurement and units: the SI unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa). Pressure fields are mapped using instruments such as manometers, pressure transducers, and sensor arrays. In engineering and science, Druckfeld analyses underpin the design of piping systems, aerodynamic surfaces, acoustic devices, and medical or cardiovascular simulations, as well as weather and geophysical modeling.