Variational Principles of Lagrangian Averaged Fluid Dynamics

The Lagrangian average (LA) of the ideal fluid equations preserves their fundamental transport structure. This transport structure is responsible for the Kelvin circulation theorem of the LA flow and, hence, for its potential vorticity convection and its helicity conservation. Lagrangian averaging also preserves the Euler-Poincar'e (EP) variational framework that implies the LA fluid equations. This is expressed in the Lagrangian-averaged Euler-Poincar'e (LAEP) theorem proven here and illustrated for the Lagrangian average Euler (LAE) equations.