Acoustic scattering from double-diffusive microstructure

Laboratory measurements of high-frequency broadband acoustic backscattering (200-600 kHz) from the diffusive regime of double-diffusive microstructure have been performed. This type of microstructure, which was characterized using direct microstructure and optical shadowgraph techniques, is identified by sharp density and sound speed interfaces separating well-mixed layers. Vertical acoustic backscattering measurements were performed for a range of physical parameters controlling the double-diffusive microstructure. The echoes have been analyzed in both the frequency domain, providing information on the spectral response of the scattering, and in the time domain, using pulse compression techniques. High levels of variability were observed, associated with interface oscillations and turbulent plumes, with many echoes showing significant spectral structure. Acoustic estimates of interface thickness (1-3 cm), obtained for the echoes with exactly two peaks in the compressed pulse output, were in good agreement with estimates based on direct microstructure and optical shadowgraph measurements. Predictions based on a one-dimensional weak-scattering model that includes the actual density and sound speed profiles agree reasonably with the measured scattering. A remote-sensing tool for mapping oceanic microstructure, such as high-frequency broadband acoustic scattering, could lead to a better understanding of the extent and evolution of double-diffusive layering, and to the importance of double diffusion to oceanic mixing.     

Acoustic resonance scattering from a submerged anisotropic sphere

The resonance scattering theory (RST) is applied to the problem of sound scattering from an elastic transversely isotropic solid sphere suspended in an ideal acoustic fluid medium. The normal mode expansion technique in conjunction with the Frobenius power series solution method is utilized to deal with the material anisotropy. The presented model, which degenerates to the simple isotropic solution in the case of very weak anisotropy, is initially employed to study sensitivity of various resonant modes of vibration to perturbations in elements of the stiffness matrix. Employing a rigid background subtraction, the target’s spectrum of resonances is extracted from the relevant modal backscattering form functions and subsequently traced and discussed through Regge pole trajectory plots. Also, the backscattering form function and resonance spectra, along with the dispersion curves for selected transversely isotropic solid spheres with distinct degrees of material anisotropy, are calculated and discussed. The various modes of propagation associated with the Rayleigh, Whispering Gallery, and fluid-borne Scholte-Stoneley surface waves are identified and examined. Published in Russian in Akusticheskiĭ Zhurnal, 2008, Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 205–218. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

周期性加隔板有限长圆柱壳声散射

研究内部真空周期性加隔板圆柱壳在水中的声散射特性.壳体振动用薄壳理论的Donnell方程描述,隔板振动用相互独立的薄板纯弯曲振动和平面应力状态下的振动方程描述.考虑轴向、切向、径向三个方向的力和弯矩共同作用导出了散射声场的解析表达式.数值计算给出远场收发合置情况下的角度-频率谱图,并据此进行机理分析.通过与内部周期性加环肋圆柱壳声散射的角度-频率谱图比较发现,除周期加肋产生的Bragg散射波与弯曲Bloch-Floquet波外,加隔板的情况还存在明显的隔板共振亮线,并且发生隔板共振与壳体弹性波、Bragg散射波、弯曲Bloch-Floquet波耦合的现象.通过实验对理论进行了验证,在实验的频率范围内,Bragg散射亮线与理论符合得很好,部分Bloch-Floquet波散射亮线和隔板共振散射亮线也与理论符合.     

Acoustic and radar scattering from directional seas

Abstract

The small-slope approximation is applied to predict acoustic and electromagnetic scattering from directional seas. Results are presented for the scatter of high-frequency fields from fetch-limited seas for which the wavenumber spectrum is isotropic at high wavenumbers but highly directional near the spectral peak. Monostatic backscatter is found to display an upwind-crosswind dependence for a broad range of scattering angles due solely to the directionality of the large-scale waves.     

Acoustic and radar scattering from directional seas

The small-slope approximation is applied to predict acoustic and electromagnetic scattering from directional seas. Results are presented for the scatter of high-frequency fields from fetch-limited seas for which the wavenumber spectrum is isotropic at high wavenumbers but highly directional near the spectral peak. Monostatic backscatter is found to display an upwind-crosswind dependence for a broad range of scattering angles due solely to the directionality of the large-scale waves.     

Acoustic scattering by a penetrable spheroid

The scattering of a plane acoustic wave from a penetrable prolate or oblate spheroid is considered. Two different methods are used for the evaluation. In the first, the pressure field is expressed in terms of spheroidal wave functions. In the second, a shape perturbation method, the field is expressed in terms of spherical wave functions only, while the equation of the spheroidal boundary is given in spherical coordinates. Analytical expressions are obtained for the scattered pressure field and the various scattering cross-sections when the solution is specialized to small values of the eccentricity h = d/(2a), (h ≪ 1), with d being the interfocal distance of the spheroid and 2a the length of its rotation axis. In this case, exact, closed-form expressions are obtained for the expansion coefficients g ⁽²⁾ and g ⁽⁴⁾ in the relation S(h) = S(0)[1 + g ⁽²⁾ h ² + g ⁽⁴⁾ h ⁴ + O(h ⁶)] expressing the scattered field and the scattering cross-sections. Numerical results are given for various values of the parameters. Published in Russian in Akusticheskiĭ Zhurnal, 2008, Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 189–204. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Acoustic resonance scattering from a multilayered cylindrical shell with imperfect bonding

The method of wave function expansion is adopted to study the three dimensional scattering of a time-harmonic plane progressive sound field obliquely incident upon a multi-layered hollow cylinder with interlaminar bonding imperfection. For the generality of solution, each layer is assumed to be cylindrically orthotropic. An approximate laminate model in the context of the modal state equations with variable coefficients along with the classical T-matrix solution technique is set up for each layer to solve for the unknown modal scattering and transmission coefficients. A linear spring model is used to describe the interlaminar adhesive bonding whose effects are incorporated into the global transfer matrix by introduction of proper interfacial transfer matrices. Following the classic acoustic resonance scattering theory (RST), the scattered field and response to surface waves are determined by constructing the partial waves and obtaining the non-resonance (backgrounds) and resonance components. The solution is first used to investigate the effect of interlayer imperfection of an air-filled and water submerged bilaminate aluminium cylindrical shell on the resonances associated with various modes of wave propagation (i.e., symmetric/asymmetric Lamb waves, fluid-borne A-type waves, Rayleigh and Whispering Gallery waves) appearing in the backscattered spectrum, according to their polarization and state of stress. An illustrative numerical example is also given for a multi-layered (five-layered) cylindrical shell for which the stiffness of the adhesive interlayers is artificially varied. The sensitivity of resonance frequencies associated with higher mode numbers to the stiffness coefficients is demonstrated to be a good measure of the bonding strength. Limiting cases are considered and fair agreements with solutions available in the literature are established.     

Acoustic scattering from two spheres,one with a small radius

The scattering of a plane acoustic wave from an acoustically penetrable or impenetrable (soft or hard) sphere separated at a distance from another sphere, also penetrable or impenetrable (soft or hard), of acoustically small radius, is examined. The penetrable spheres and the surrounding medium are fluids or fluidlike; i.e., they do not support shear waves. Separation of variables, in conjunction with translational addition theorems for spherical wave functions, is used. Analytical expressions are obtained for the scattered pressure field and the scattering cross sections. Numerical results are given for penetrable and impenetrable spheres, showing the influence of the small sphere on the scattering cross sections of the other sphere. Published in Russian in Akusticheskiĭ Zhurnal, 2007, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 38–49. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Acoustic scattering from mud volcanoes and carbonate mounds

Submarine mud volcanoes occur in many parts of the world's oceans and form an aperture for gas and fluidized mud emission from within the earth's crust. Their characteristics are of considerable interest to the geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and underwater acoustics communities. For the latter, mud volcanoes are of interest in part because they pose a potential source of clutter for active sonar. Close-range (single-interaction) scattering measurements from a mud volcano in the Straits of Sicily show scattering 10-15 dB above the background. Three hypotheses were examined concerning the scattering mechanism: (1) gas entrained in sediment at/near mud volcano, (2) gas bubbles and/or particulates (emitted) in the water column, (3) the carbonate bio-construction covering the mud volcano edifice. The experimental evidence, including visual, acoustic, and nonacoustic sensors, rules out the second hypothesis (at least during the observation time) and suggests that, for this particular mud volcano the dominant mechanism is associated with carbonate chimneys on the mud volcano. In terms of scattering levels, target strengths of 4-14 dB were observed from 800 to 3600 Hz for a monostatic geometry with grazing angles of 3-5 degrees. Similar target strengths were measured for vertically bistatic paths with incident and scattered grazing angles of 3-5 degrees and 33-50 degrees, respectively.     

Acoustic scattering by a modified Werner method

A modified integral Werner method is used to calculate pressure scattered by an axisymmetric body immersed in a perfect and compressible fluid subject to a harmonic acoustic field. This integral representation is built as the sum of a potential of a simple layer and a potential of volume. It is equivalent to the exterior Helmholtz problem with Neumann boundary condition for all real wave numbers of the incident acoustic field. For elastic structure scattering problems, the modified Werner method is coupled with an elastodynamic integral formulation in order to account for the elastic contribution of the displacement field at the fluid/structure interface. The resulting system of integral equations is solved by the collocation method with a quadratic interpolation. The introduction of a weighting factor in the modified Werner method decreases the number of volume elements necessary for a good convergence of results. This approach becomes very competitive when it is compared with other integral methods that are valid for all wave numbers. A numerical comparison with an experiment on a tungsten carbide end-capped cylinder allows a glimpse of the interesting possibilities for using the coupling of the modified Werner method and the integral elastodynamic equation used in this research.     

Acoustic power measurements of a damped aeroacoustically driven resonator

Strong self-sustained acoustic oscillations may occur in a gas pipe network under certain gas flow velocities within the network. The pipe network under consideration consists of a main pipe, with a variable mean airflow, with two closed coaxial side branches of variable but equal length joined to the main pipe. Coupling between resonant acoustic standing waves and instabilities of the shear layers separating the flow in the main pipe from the stagnant gas in the closed side branches leads to strong acoustic oscillations at a frequency corresponding to the half-wavelength acoustic mode defined by the total side-branch length. An acoustic damper consisting of a variable acoustic resistance and compliance is used to dissipate power from the resonating mode. The response of the aeroacoustically driven resonator to variable damping will be examined for different fluid flow regimes as well as side-branch geometries.     

Negatively buoyant plume dispersion: a comparison of simple mathematical models, hydraulic simulations and field data

Summary The ground-level concentration distribution for negatively buoyant gases of various densities, emitted from stacks with heights, diameters and exit velocities varying in the typical range of geothermal drilling activities, was studied by means of hydraulic simulations performed in neutral conditions at different flow speeds. These measurements, and a few others taken in the field in nearly neutral and unstable atmosphere during tests of CO₂ release from a geothermal well, were compared with the values expected from a Gaussian formula corrected for denser-than-air, tilted plumes. For calculating theoretical concentrations, three couples of horizontal and vertical plume standard deviations as functions of downwind distance from source were employed: those given by Singer-Smith and Briggs and a third one obtained by our group during a previous water channel experiment. Also the maximum ground-level concentration and its distance from the source were measured in each simulation and compared with the prediction of our Gaussian formula, as well as with a best-fit expression given by Meroney. The concentration pattern χ(x, y, 0) given by the corrected Gaussian formula proved to be in good agreement with experimental data, especially in association with Singer-Smith's or our sigmas. When only maximum g.l. concentrations are needed, also the simple formula suggested by Meroney can give a good approximation.

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Riassunto Una serie di simulazioni in vasca senza stratificazione, condotte a varie velocità della vena idraulica, ha permesso di studiare la distribuzione di concentrazione al suolo dovuta a gas con varie densità maggiori di quella dell'aria, emessi da ciminiere con altezze, diametri e velocità di efflusso variabili entro intervalli tipici delle attività di perforazione geotermica. Queste misure, ed alcune altre ottenute in campo in condizioni di atmosfera circa neutra e instabile durante prove di rilascio di CO₂ da un pozzo geotermico, sono state confrontate con i valori attesi in base ad una formula gaussiana corretta per pennacchi inclinati. Nel calcolo delle concentrazioni teoriche si sono impiegate tre diverse coppie di espressioni per le deviazioni standard orizzontale e verticale del pennacchio: quelle date da Singer-Smith e Briggs ed una terza ottenuta dal nostro gruppo durante una precedente esperienza in canale idraulico. In ciascuna prova si è misurata anche la concentrazione massima al suolo e la sua distanza dalla sorgente; queste quantità sono state raffrontate con le previsioni della formula gaussiana e con una espressione empirica proposta da Meroney. Il campo di concentrazione χ(x, y, 0) dato dalla formula gaussiana corretta è risultato in buon accordo con le misure, specialmente se associato alle sigma di Singer-Smith o alle nostre. Quando sia sufficiente una valutazione della concentrazione massima, anche la semplice formula di Meroney può dare una buona approssimazione.

     

S-wave scattering of fermion revisited

A model where a Dirac fermion is coupled to background dilaton field is considered to study s-wave scattering of fermion by a back ground dilaton black hole. It is found that an uncomfortable situation towards information loss scenario arises when one loop correction gets involved during bosonization.     

Room-temperature polariton parametric scattering driven by a one-dimensional polariton condensate

We demonstrate a novel way to realize room-temperature polariton parametric scattering in a one-dimensional ZnO microcavity. The polariton parametric scattering is driven by a polariton condensate, with a balanced polariton pair generated at the adjacent polariton mode. This parametric scattering is experimentally investigated by the angle-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy technique under different pump powers and it is well described by the rate equation of interacting bosons. The direct relation between the intensity of the scattered polariton signal and that of the polariton reservoir is acquired under nonresonant excitation, exhibiting the explicit nonlinear characteristic of this room-temperature polariton parametric process.     

Acoustic scattering by a three-dimensional elastic object near a rough surface

The ensemble-averaged field scattered by a smooth, bounded, elastic object near a penetrable surface with small-scale random roughness is formulated. The formulation consists of combining a perturbative solution for modeling propagation through the rough surface with a transition (T-) matrix solution for scattering by the object near a planar surface. All media bounding the rough surface are assumed to be fluids. By applying the results to a spherical steel shell buried within a rough sediment bottom, it is demonstrated that the ensemble-averaged "incoherent" intensity backscattered by buried objects illuminated with shallow-grazing-angle acoustic sources can be well enhanced at high frequencies over field predictions based on scattering models where all environmental surfaces are planar. However, this intensity must compete with the incoherent intensity scattered back from the interface itself, which can defeat detection attempts. The averaged "coherent" component of the field maintains the strong evanescent spectral decay exhibited by flat interface predictions of shallow-angle measurements but with small deviations. Nevertheless, bistatic calculations of the coherent field suggest useful strategies for improving long-range detection and identification of buried objects.     

Acoustic scattering by a sphere with a hemispherically split boundary condition

A general analytical model is developed for the scattering of sound by a sphere with a nonuniform impedance boundary condition that is divided into two uniformly distributed hemispheres. In addition to the overall solution for the time harmonic pressure, the analytical result gives insight into the modal contributions and coupling for different cases of source incidence and boundary impedance. Modal cross coupling is shown to exist between incoming and scattered wave modes of equi-order and nonequal degree when the degrees are opposite in parity (odd-even or even-odd coupling). This cross coupling is strongest between modes of adjacent degree, and decreases as the degrees become dissimilar. The overall magnitude of the cross coupling is dependent on the extent of the impedance mismatch between the two surface hemispheres. Simulation and discussion are given for several specific cases of source incidence and impedance (each hemisphere is given a different constant impedance value). These results are consistent with expectations from the scattering of sound by a sphere with a uniformly distributed surface boundary. The broad scattering characteristics of the hemispherically divided sphere are shown to be analogous to connecting the appropriate sectors from the corresponding uniformly distributed spheres.     

Acoustic scattering by an impenetrable spheroid

The scattering of a plane acoustic wave from an impenetrable, soft or hard, prolate or oblate spheroid is considered. Two different methods are used for the evaluation. In the first, the pressure field is expressed in terms of spheroidal wave functions. In the second, a shape perturbation method, the field is expressed in terms of spherical wave functions only, while the equation of the spheroidal boundary is given in spherical coordinates. Analytical expressions are obtained for the scattered pressure field and the various scattering cross-sections, when the solution is specialized to small values of the eccentricity h = d/(2a) , where d is the interfocal distance of the spheroid and 2a is the length of its rotation axis. In this case, exact, closed-form expressions are obtained for the expansion coefficients g ⁽²⁾ and g ⁽⁴⁾ in the relation S(h) = S(0)[1 + g ⁽²⁾ h ² + g ⁽⁴⁾ h ⁴ + O(h ⁶)] expressing the scattered field and the scattering cross-sections. Numerical results are given for various values of the parameters. Published in Russian in Akusticheskiĭ Zhurnal, 2007, Vol. 53, No. 4, pp. 500–513. The text was submitted by the authors in English.