Acoustic tomography of the nonlinear parameter by a small number of transducers

A wave approach to solving the problem of reconstructing the acoustic nonlinear parameter distribution by a simple transmitting-receiving system with broadband modulation of primary waves is proposed. The approach uses the effect of sound scattering by sound, which makes it possible to employ a complicated time processing of signals instead of spatial processing and, consequently, to reduce the number of transmitting and receiving transducers. The possibility of practical implementation of a two-dimensional tomographic scheme based on coherent correlation processing of broadband quasi-random signals at combination frequencies is analyzed. Results of model numerical experiments on reconstructing complicated spatial distributions of the nonlinear parameter are presented.     

A spatial correlation method for reconstructing blood flow velocity vector in the nonlinear tomography

A method for reconstructing the total blood flow velocity vector distribution is proposed. Experimental data are obtained with the help of the second-order nonlinearity parameter tomography scheme that employs wideband coded signals and a small number of transducers. The data are processed using the selective matched filtering technique in combination with spatial correlation of fragments of the speckle structure that appears in the process of reconstruction of the spatial nonlinearity parameter distribution. Results of numerical simulations are presented.     

Reconstruction of the fine structure of an acoustic scatterer against the distorting influence of its large-scale inhomogeneities

In the ultrasonic diagnostics of small-size neoplasms of biological tissues at the earliest stage of their development, an efficient way to eliminate the distorting influence of high-contrast or large inhomogeneities of the biological medium is to apply the iterative technique. A simple approach is proposed, which makes it possible with only two iteration steps to achieve an efficient focusing of the tomograph array. At the first step, the unknown distribution of the large-scale inhomogeneities of sound velocity and absorption over the scatterer is reconstructed, where the large-scale inhomogeneities are those whose size exceeds several wavelengths. At the second step, the fine structure of the scatterer is reconstructed against the large-scale background, which can be performed with a high accuracy owing to the evaluation of the background at the first step. The possibility of simultaneous reconstruction of the large-scale and fine structures by the noniterative Grinevich-Novikov algorithm is considered as an alternative. This algorithm reconstructs in an explicit form two-dimensional refractive-absorbing acoustic scatterers of almost arbitrary shape and strength. Taking into account the effects of multiple scattering, this algorithm provides resolution of the fine structure almost as good as that achieved in reconstructing the same structure against an undistorting homogeneous background. The results of numerical simulations of both algorithms are presented.     

Simulation of the acoustic field emitted from medical linear transducer in a heterogeneous tissue

A numerical model is developed to simulate the acoustic field in heterogeneous tissue from a medical linear transducer.The coupled full-wave equation for nonlinear ultrasound is solved using a staggered-grid finite difference time domain method.The distribution of acoustic pressure and power in human abdominal wall with heterogeneities in sound speed,density,and nonlinear parameter are obtained.Compared with homogeneous medium,when sound speed in tissue is uniform and density unchanged,the acoustic energy decreases only1.8 dB in the focal region;when density in tissue is uniform and sound speed unchanged,the energy decreases 3.8 dB in the focal region,which is almost the same as heterogeneous tissue.Thus,the primary factor of the aberration of focused beam is the heterogeneous distribution of the tissue sound speed.     

Sound field separating on arbitrary surfaces enclosing a sound scatterer based on combined integral equations

To eliminate the limitations of the conventional sound field separation methods which are only applicable to regular surfaces, a sound field separation method based on combined integral equations is proposed to separate sound fields directly in the spatial domain. In virtue of the Helmholtz integral equations for the incident and scattering fields outside a sound scatterer, combined integral equations are derived for sound field separation, which build the quantitative relationship between the sound fields on two arbitrary separation surfaces enclosing the sound scatterer. Through boundary element discretization of the two surfaces, corresponding systems of linear equations are obtained for practical application. Numerical simulations are performed for sound field separation on different shaped surfaces. The influences induced by the aspect ratio of the separation surfaces and the signal noise in the measurement data are also investigated. The separated incident and scattering sound fields agree well with the original corresponding fields described by analytical expressions, which validates the effectiveness and accuracy of the combined integral equations based separation method.     

多元高斯声束衍射修正下液体非线性系数检测方法

有效检测材料的非线性系数β是非线性超声评价材料力学性能及早期疲劳损伤等的前提和关键,针对当前的有限幅值法仅适用于有限孔径探头近场测量的现状,本论文研究了一种不受检测距离影响的测量方法。为抑制实际检测过程中声能的损失和声场扩散对测量结果的影响,对基波和二次谐波检测值进行衍射和衰减修正,其中利用多元高斯声束精确计算二次谐波衍射系数,在此基础上计算非线性系数β以消除其与理想的平面波推导结果间的差异,提高不同距离下测量值的精度。针对水的非线性系数β进行了仿真分析和实验验证,结果均显示本文方法相比于传统有限幅值法具有明显的精度优势,且表明该方法测量材料的β不受检测距离的影响,为放宽非线性超声检测的应用条件提供了理论依据。      

非均匀组织医学超声发射声场仿真

为了分析医学超声在非均匀组织中的分布特性,建立了超声发射声场的计算模型。采用交错网格有限差分法对耦合超声非线性方程进行数值求解,获得了声速、密度及非线性参数非均匀分布情况下人体腹壁组织内的超声声场分布数据。同均匀介质相比:当声速均匀而密度非均匀时,声束仍聚焦良好,焦点处声能下降了1.8 dB;当密度均匀而声速非均匀时,声束发散严重,焦点处声能下降了3.8 dB,下降程度与非均匀组织接近。组织声速在空间分布的非均匀性是导致聚焦声束能量分布畸变的主要原因。      

Separate reconstruction of the speed of sound,density of the medium,and coefficient of absorption in tomographic problems

A procedure is proposed for separating contributions to the scatterer function by inhomogeneities of the speed of sound, density of a medium, and coefficient of absorption. The scatterer function is reconstructed by solving the inverse problem. The power index of the absorption coefficient’s frequency dependence is determined simultaneously. The resistance to interference of this procedure is investigated by simulations in the multifrequency mode.     

Free Path Lengths in Quasicrystals

Previous studies of kinetic transport in the Lorentz gas have been limited to cases where the scatterers are distributed at random (e.g., at the points of a spatial Poisson process) or at the vertices of a Euclidean lattice. In the present paper we investigate quasicrystalline scatterer configurations, which are non-periodic, yet strongly correlated. A famous example is the vertex set of a Penrose tiling. Our main result proves the existence of a limit distribution for the free path length, which answers a question of Wennberg. The limit distribution is characterised by a certain random variable on the space of higher dimensional lattices, and is distinctly different from the exponential distribution observed for random scatterer configurations. The key ingredients in the proofs are equidistribution theorems on homogeneous spaces, which follow from Ratner’s measure classification.     

Active sound scatterers based on the JMC method

The principle of formulating the JMC method to produce secondary sources that function as active scatterers on a hypothetical scattering surface is established, to be applied, e.g., in concert halls. The examination is based on the modified JMC method, to ensure that the logic does not lead to the need of changing the primary sources. The actively reflecting plane serves as an example of the JMC formulation for the active scatterer. The solution is extended to a general planar JMC element with well-defined reflection and transmission properties. The solution works on the local control principle: each reflecting subarea needs information of the primary field only at that subarea. The solution can also apply approximately to piecemeal planar surfaces and to smooth convex surfaces. Further, general active boundary condition elements are defined. Based on the element definitions, simple reflecting source, the pressure- and velocity-reflecting boundaries, and the impedance boundary are introduced. Boundary condition elements do not work on the local control principle: in a general case secondary sources on each subarea need information of the primary field at each subarea. True boundary condition elements are also defined based on their net sound power radiation.     

Spatial filtering of wall pressure fluctuations beneath a turbulent boundary layer

Methods of experimental spatial filtering of wall pressure fluctuations beneath a turbulent boundary layer are developed with the aim of obtaining information on the wave number-frequency spectrum. The spatial filtering of the pressure field components by wave-vector filters is studied. The method of spatial filtering of pressure fluctuations by an acoustic array, i.e., a periodic structure with a finite number of elementary transducers, is analyzed. The relation between the wave number characteristic of the acoustic array and the wave number spectrum of the amplitude distribution of transducer’s local sensitivity is determined. Quantitative estimates are obtained for the sensitivity of the array to the wave number spectrum of turbulent boundary-layer pressures, which is necessary for measuring the wall pressure fluctuations in a turbulent boundary layer by wave-vector filters.     

A prototype for a tomography system using third-order acoustic nonlinear effects

A prototype of a tomography system for reconstructing the distributions of acoustic nonlinear parameters is developed and manufactured on the basis of the effect of nonlinear noncollinear interaction of three primary waves. Application of coded primary signals with further correlation processing of a detected combination signal makes it possible to reconstruct the complete image of an object as a result of a single experiment using a small number of transducers, i.e., three radiators and one receiver. A mirror system is proposed, consisting of two coaxial conical acoustic mirrors that make it possible to transform the front of a wave from a cylindrical transducer into a homogeneous quasi-plane beam with a large width close to the real medical diagnostics requirements. Results of physical experiments are given.     

The directivity pattern of an interferometer for measuring thermal acoustic radiation

The directivity patterns of a pair of piezoelectric transducers for measuring the spatial correlation function of sound pressures produced by sources of thermal acoustic radiation in the megahertz frequency range are calculated. Sources in the form of a heated plane or strip are considered. The signal detection by two circular or rectangular piezoelectric transducers and by focusing transducers is studied. It is demonstrated that, for measuring the correlation function, the piezoelectric transducers must partially overlap. To determine the directivity pattern with a strong dependence on the distance between the heated object and the pair of piezoelectric transducers, focusing piezoelectric transducers should be used. The results obtained offer possibilities for a noninvasive measurement of the absorption coefficient of a medium and also for the realization of the previously proposed [20] passive acoustic thermotomograph, which does not use a priori information on the absorption coefficient of the medium.     

Characterization of subwavelength elastic cylinders with the decomposition of the time-reversal operator: theory and experiment

The decomposition of the time-reversal operator provides information on the scattering medium. It has been shown [Chambers and Gautesen, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 109, 2616-2624 (2001)] that a small spherical scatterer is in general associated with four eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the time-reversal operator. In this paper, the 2D problem of scattering by an elastic cylinder, imbedded in water, measured by a linear array of transducers is considered. In this case, the array response matrix has three nonzero singular values. Experimental results are obtained with linear arrays of transducers and for wires of different diameters smaller that the wavelength. It is shown how the singular value distribution and the singular vectors depend on the elastic velocities cL, cT, the density rho of each wire, and on the density rho0 and velocity c0 of the surrounding fluid. These results offer a new perspective towards solution of the inverse problem by determining more than scattering contrast using conventional array processing like that used in medical ultrasonic imaging.     

A new algorithm for spatial impulse response of rectangular planar transducers

Previous solutions for spatial impulse responses of rectangular planar transducers require either approximations or complex geometrical considerations. This paper describes a new, simplified and exact solution using only trigonometric functions and simple set operations. This solution, which can be numerically implemented with a straightforward algorithm, is an exact implementation of the Rayleigh integral without any far field or paraxial approximation. Additionally, a nonlinear relationship was also established for spatial impulse responses from two field points which share the same projection point on the transducer surface plane. By incorporating this relationship in the algorithm, the computational efficiency of spatial impulse responses and continuous fields is improved about 20-folds and 14-folds, respectively. This algorithm has practical applications in designing l-D linear/phased arrays, 1.5-D arrays and 2-D arrays, as demonstrated through numerical simulations with array transducers. Experiments were also conducted to verify the new solution and results show that the algorithm is both accurate and efficient. The application of this method may include development of ultrasound imaging system for hard and soft tissue nondestructive assessment.     

热图法测量激光强度时空分布的重构理论研究

为了把量热法应用于远场激光强度时空分布测量,研究了基于热像仪靶面温度测量反演入射激光强度时空分布的重构理论。针对背光面两种不同边界条件(对流-辐射热流边界和恒定温度边界)推导出了由靶面温度分布反演激光束时空分布的重构表达式。获得的分析表达式对广泛的材料具有适用性。通过引入广义参量F0=α/L2,分别就F0》1和F0《1情况给出了重构近似表达式,并对满足F0》1条件的回推算法进行了数值模拟验证。数值结果表明,两种背光面边界条件下回推得到的激光束时空分布与原始激光束达到了很好的一致,但存在一与靶材傅里叶数相关的最小起始回推时间τ0。成果可用于强激光远场参量测量设备的研制。     

Solution of the three-dimensional acoustic inverse scattering problem. The modified Novikov algorithm

For the first time, three-dimensional model scatterers of various strengths and size are numerically reconstructed on the basis of the monochromatic functional-analytical Novikov algorithm. The algorithm allows for the multiple scattering processes and does not impose stringent constraints on the scatterer strength. The resulting scatterer estimate approaches the true value after the width of the scatterer’s spatial spectrum is restricted to a region with a radius of about 2k ₀. The noise robustness of the algorithm, i.e., the robustness to random errors in experimental data, is sufficiently high for diagnostic applications. However, the amount of numerical operations required by the algorithm is great.     

Acoustic nonlinearity parameter tomography for biological tissues via parametric array from a circular piston source--theoretical analysis and computer simulations

The acoustic nonlinearity parameter B/A describes the nonlinear features of a medium and may become a novel parameter for ultrasonic tissue characterization. This paper presents a theoretical analysis for acoustic nonlinear parameter tomography via a parametric array. As two primary waves of different frequencies are radiated simultaneously from a circular piston source, a secondary wave at the difference frequency is generated due to the nonlinear interaction of the primary waves. The axial and radial distributions of sound pressure amplitude for the generated difference frequency wave in the near field are calculated by a superposition of Gaussian beams. The calculated results indicated that the difference frequency component of the parametric array grows linearly with distance from the piston source. It therefore provides a better source to do the acoustic nonlinearity parameter tomography because the fundamental and second harmonic signals both have a near field that goes through many oscillations due to diffraction. By using a finite-amplitude insert substitution method and a filtered convolution algorithm, a computer simulation for B/A tomography from the calculated sound pressure of the difference frequency wave is studied. For biological tissues, the sound attenuation is considered and compensated in the image reconstruction. Nonlinear parameter computed tomography (CT) images for several biological sample models are obtained with quite good quality in this study.     

1-3型压电复合材料非均匀振动换能器的研究

通过调整1－3型压电复合材料换能器中压电相的分布，可以控制换能器辐射面上振动幅度和相位的分布，从而获得具有特殊性能的声场．作为辐射源表面振动速度等相位不等幅和等幅不等相位的两种典型情况，本文对边线高斯型换能器和Wesnel聚焦换能器进行了实验研究，讨论了其声场特性．     

1-3型压电复合材料非均匀振动换能器的研究

通过调整１－３型压电复合材料换能器中压电相的分布，可以控制换能器辐射面上振动幅度和相位的分布，从而获得具有特殊性能的声场。