Resonance scattering of sound by spheroidal elastic bodies and shells

The resonances of spheroidal elastic bodies (prolate and oblate) in the form of solid bodies and shells are determined using dynamic elasticity theory and Debye potentials. In addition to analytic solutions, results of computer calculations are presented for the angular characteristics and scattering cross sections of spheroidal elastic bodies.     

Corrosion and erosion monitoring in plates and pipes using constant group velocity Lamb wave inspection

Recent improvements in tomographic reconstruction techniques generated a renewed interest in short-range ultrasonic guided wave inspection for real-time monitoring of internal corrosion and erosion in pipes and other plate-like structures. Emerging evidence suggests that in most cases the fundamental asymmetric A₀ mode holds a distinct advantage over the earlier market leader fundamental symmetric S₀ mode. Most existing A₀ mode inspections operate at relatively low inspection frequencies where the mode is highly dispersive therefore very sensitive to variations in wall thickness. This paper examines the potential advantages of increasing the inspection frequency to the so-called constant group velocity (CGV) point where the group velocity remains essentially constant over a wide range of wall thickness variation, but the phase velocity is still dispersive enough to allow accurate wall thickness assessment from phase angle measurements. This paper shows that in the CGV region the crucial issue of temperature correction becomes especially simple, which is particularly beneficial when higher-order helical modes are also exploited for tomography. One disadvantage of working at such relatively high inspection frequency is that, as the slower A₀ mode becomes faster and less dispersive, the competing faster S₀ mode becomes slower and more dispersive. At higher inspection frequencies these modes cannot be separated any longer based on their vibration polarization only, which is mostly tangential for the S₀ mode while mostly normal for the A₀ at low frequencies, as the two modes become more similar as the frequency increases. Therefore, we propose a novel method for suppressing the unwanted S₀ mode based on the Poisson effect of the material by optimizing the angle of inclination of the equivalent transduction force of the Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMATs) used for generation and detection purposes.     

Laser-generated thermoelastic acoustic sources and Lamb waves in anisotropic plates

The effect of anisotropy and temperature on the dispersive Lamb wave generation and propagation in a transversely isotropic thin plate has been investigated. A quantitative numerical model for the laser-generated transient ultrasonic Lamb waves propagating along arbitrary directions is presented by using a finite-element method. All factors, such as spatial and time distributions of the incident laser beam, optical penetration, thermal diffusivity, thickness of the plate, and source–receiver distance, can be taken into account. The effects on the ultrasound waveform of the size of the optoacoustic source are investigated; in the limit of strong optical absorption, a subsurface thermal source gives rise to both vertical and lateral shear tensions. The lateral shear tension is equivalent to applying a shear dipole at the top face; the amplitude of the dipole is a function of material symmetry, contrary to the isotropic case, and the character and strength of the equivalent surface stress are a function of propagation direction. The specific results for the lower anti-symmetric and symmetric mode propagation in all planar directions are presented in the thermoelastic regime; the spatial dispersion (variation of the velocity with the direction of propagation) as well as the frequency dispersion is analyzed. PACS 43.35.+d; 02.70.Dh; 42.62.-b; 78.20.Nv; 81.70.Cv     

Focusing and waveguiding of Lamb waves in micro-fabricated piezoelectric phononic plates

This paper presents results on the numerical and experimental studies of focusing and waveguiding of the lowest anti-symmetric Lamb wave in micro-fabricated piezoelectric phononic plates. The phononic structure was based on an AT-cut quartz plate and consisted of a gradient-index phononic crystal (GRIN PC) lens and a linear phononic plate waveguide. The band structures of the square-latticed AT-cut quartz phononic crystal plates with different filling ratios were analyzed using the finite element method. The design of a GRIN PC plate lens which is attached with a linear phononic plate waveguide is proposed. In designing the waveguide, propagation modes in square-latticed PC plates with different waveguide widths were studied and the results were served for the experimental design. In the micro-fabrication, deep reactive ion etching (Deep-RIE) process with a laboratory-made etcher was utilized to fabricate both the GRIN PC plate lens and the linear phononic waveguide on an 80 μm thick AT-cut quartz plate. Interdigital transducers were fabricated directly on the quartz plate to generate the lowest anti-symmetric Lamb waves. A vibro-meter was used to detect the wave fields and the measured results on the focusing and waveguiding of the piezoelectric GRIN PC lens and waveguide are in good accordance with the numerical predictions. The results of this study may serve as a basis for developing an active micro plate lens and related devices.     

Radiation and scattering of sound waves in oceanic waveguides

The applicability conditions for the concept of a directivity pattern (a scattering amplitude) in the problems of waveguide propagation are formulated. The consideration is based on the solution of the Sturm-Liouville problem. The results of the comparison between these conditions and the analogous conditions obtained earlier in the ray approximation are discussed. The expression for the scattering matrix of waveguide modes is modified on the basis of the suggested conditions in such a way that it involves only the quantities determined from the solution of the Schrödinger equation. This makes it possible to perform numerical calculations by using the results of numerous studies of the propagation in inhomogeneous waveguides and the diffraction by complex-structured bodies in free space.     

Calculation of electromechanical coupling coefficient of Lamb waves in multilayered plates

Two methods have been always used to calculate the electromechanical coupling coefficient of a Lamb wave in a multilayered plate: one is an approximate method using the acoustic velocity difference under different electric boundary conditions and the other is the Green's function method. The Green's function method is more accurate but more complicated, because an 8N-order matrix is used for calculating the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the Lamb wave in an N-layered plate, which induces great computation loads and some calculation deviations. In this paper, a transfer matrix method is used for calculating the electromechanical coupling coefficient of Lamb waves in a multilayered plate, in which only an 8-order matrix is needed regardless of the number of layers of the plate. The results show that the transfer matrix method can obtain the same accuracy as those by the Green's function method, but the computation load and deviation are greatly decreased by avoiding the use of a high order matrix used in the Green's function method.     

Effects of localization of the areas of sound scattering by surface wind waves

Experimental studies of the scattering of a monochromatic sound signal by a rough sea surface are carried out. The signal is produced by a point source in a shallow-water basin. The measurements are performed with the use of horizontal and vertical linear receiving arrays. The experimental data are compared with the estimates obtained on the basis of the model developed by the authors for resonant sound scattering by surface roughness. A satisfactory agreement between the experiments and the calculations is achieved. It is shown that the scattered signal is formed within small surface areas, whose sizes have the same order of magnitude as the first Fresnel zone with respect to the source and the receiving system.     

Location of micro-cracks in plates using time reversed nonlinear Lamb waves

A promising tool to detect micro-cracks in plate-like structures is used for generating higher harmonic Lamb waves. In this paper, a method combining nonlinear S_0 mode Lamb waves with time reversal to locate micro-cracks is presented and verified by numerical simulations. Two different models, the contact acoustic nonlinearity(CAN) model and the Preisach–Mayergoyz(PM) model, are used to simulate a localized damage in a thin plate. Pulse inversion method is employed to extract the second and fourth harmonics from the received signal. Time reversal is performed to compensate the dispersion of S_0 mode Lamb waves. Consequently, the higher harmonics generated from the damaged area can be refocused on their source. By investigating the spatial distribution of harmonic wave packets, the location of micro-cracks will be revealed.The numerical simulations indicate that this method gives accurate locations of the damaged area in a plate. Furthermore,the PM model is proved to be a suitable model to simulate the micro-cracks in plates for generation of higher harmonics.     

Underwater sound scattering characteristics of three paralleling flexible cylindrical shells

To investigate the sound scattering characteristics of three paralleling flexible cylindrical shells with the plane incident wave,a mathematical model is established with Fourier series expansion method which involves the flexible vibration,the sound radiation and the rigid scattering of each shell and their coupling through the sound field.With the model,the difference between the flexible radiation term and the rigid scattering term of the sound field of three combined cylindrical shells is ca...     

Simulation of detection and scattering of sound waves by the lateral line of a fish

A solvable model of lateral line of a fish based on a wave equation with additional boundary conditions on a set of isolated points is proposed.Within the framework of this model it is shown that the ratio of pressures on lateral lines on different fish flanks,as well as the cross section of sound scattering on both the lines,strongly depends on angles of incidence of incoming sound waves.The strong angular dependence of the pressure ratio seems to be sufficient for the fish to determine the directions from which the sound is coming.     

Modeling the characteristics of the waves scattering by a group of scatterers

The pattern equations method is extended to solving the diffraction problem on a group of bodies. The problem is reduced to solving an algebraic system of equations with respect to the expansion coefficients of the scattering patterns by using a series expansion of the scattering patterns in angular spherical harmonics. The explicit (asymptotic) solution of the problem is obtained in a case when the scattering bodies are far enough from each other.     

Negative group velocity in C60 due to RSA effect

We experimentally observed negative group velocity in C₆₀ toluene solution at the wavelength of 532 nm for the first time. The observed time advancement of the modulated signal appears to be due to the RSA (reverse saturable absorption) effect of the C₆₀ molecule. The largest time advancement of 71.65 ms was obtained with a C₆₀ sample of 1.5-mm length with the concentration of 1.39×10^-3 mol/l; the corresponding group velocity was -0.021 m/s. We could control the group velocity by adjusting the modulation frequency and the input intensity. PACS 42.65.-k; 42.50.Ct; 41.20.Jb     

Mode selection of Lamb waves for the evaluation of solid plates with liquid loading

This paper studies the mode selection of Lamb waves for evaluating solid plates with liquid loading. For this purpose, the Lamb wave selected should have the features such as zero normal displacement components at the plate surface in contact with liquid, small dispersion, and maximum group velocity. It is found that when the phase velocity of Lamb wave is equal to the longitudinal wave velocity of the plate material, its normal displacement at the plate surface is always zero. Through the numerical analyses, the specific S₂ Lamb wave that has zero normal displacement component at the plate surface, small dispersion and maximum group velocity compared with the other Lamb waves has been found. With respect to the specific S₂ Lamb wave, some experimental examinations have been carried out. It is found that the liquid loading on the plate surface has less influence on the specific S₂ Lamb wave signal but it can effectively eliminate the other signals. Moreover, the specific S₂ Lamb wave selected exhibits the capability of detecting multiple defects in the solid plate with the liquid loading. It can be concluded that the specific S₂ Lamb wave selected is suitable for the evaluation of solid plates with liquid loading.     

Diffraction of plane sound waves by elastic cylindrical shells with different types of longitudinal fixations

The problem of the plane wave diffraction by a cylindrical shell with a longitudinal fixation along one of its generatrices is solved for different fixation conditions with the use of the aperiodic eigensolutions to the equations of the shell motion. One of the conditions is a rigid fixation, and the other is a longitudinal cut with free boundaries. The diffraction field is represented in the form of a convergent series in cylindrical harmonics. The scattering amplitude of the diffraction field is calculated for different fixations, frequencies, angles of incidence, and parameters of the shell. Physical explanations of the results of calculations are proposed.     

Stochastic differential equation analysis for sound scattering by random internal waves in the ocean

The scattering of a weakly divergent narrow sound beam by random inhomogeneities of a fluctuating ocean is considered in the coupled-mode approximation. The random index of sound refraction is described using the Garrett-Munk internal wave spectrum. The problem is solved using the stochastic differential equations for the first-and second-order statistical moments of the acoustic field. The equations are formulated according to the cumulant expansion method. The existence of weakly divergent narrow sound beams in long-range sound propagation was one of the last discoveries of L.M. Brekhovskikh, to which he attached much importance. The concentration of sound into narrow beams away from the axis of the underwater sound channel was first observed experimentally and then explained by Brekhovskikh and his former students Goncharov, Kurtepov, and Petukhov. In the present paper, the scattered field intensity of a sound beam is calculated for different frequencies and source depths. Analytical expressions are obtained for the coefficients of the differential equation. The intermode energy transfer that accompanies the long-range propagation of a weakly divergent sound beam is analyzed. A comparison with the conventionally used Monte Carlo simulation in the parabolic equation approximation is performed.     

A study of time harmonic guided Lamb waves and their caustics in composite plates

Spatial steady-state Lamb wave propagation in an anisotropic composite plate excited by harmonic surface sources is modeled using a Green’s matrix representation in a frequency-wavenumber domain. An approach based on a residue integration technique for two dimensional wavenumber integrals for the computation of displacements outside an excitation source is presented in this paper. In the far-field zone of the excitation source, the method of stationary phase is used, which gives an asymptotic expansion of the displacement vector as a sum of cylindrical waves. Near caustic directions, a far-field solution is computed in terms of Airy functions. The results obtained applying residue integration technique and asymptotic expansion are found to be coinciding with the results of the computation by using the adaptive quadratures. Moreover, these approaches agree well with experimental data. Then, the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods applied for modeling of Lamb wave propagation are discussed in this paper. Focussing and other properties of Lamb waves are studied using numerical examples.     

Multi-splitting of Lamb waves band gap in one-dimensional quasi-periodic plates of cantor series

We study numerically the propagation of Lamb waves in one-dimensional (1D) quasi-periodic composite thin plates consisting of a row of air holes embedded in the matrix material silicon according to a Cantor sequence; the surfaces of the plate are parallel to the axis of quasi-periodicity. The phenomenon of multi-splitting in the band gap structures is demonstrated. A semi-quantitative explanation is proposed in which the inherent cavity-like structure is proven to play the essential role in the phenomenon of multi-splitting, which gives a reliable way to predict where and how the band gap is splitting in the quasi-periodic systems. Possible applications are discussed.     

Negative group velocity and three-wave mixing in dielectric crystals

We investigate extraordinary features of optical parametric amplification of Stokes electromagnetic waves that originate from the three-wave mixing of a backward phonon wave with negative group velocity and two ordinary electromagnetic waves. Such properties were earlier shown to exist only in plasmonic negative-index metamaterials that are very challenging to fabricate. Nonlinear optical photonic devices with properties similar to those predicted for negative-index metamaterials are proposed.