Oscillation threshold of a clarinet model: a numerical continuation approach

This paper focuses on the oscillation threshold of single reed instruments. Several characteristics such as blowing pressure at threshold, regime selection, and playing frequency are known to change radically when taking into account the reed dynamics and the flow induced by the reed motion. Previous works have shown interesting tendencies, using analytical expressions with simplified models. In the present study, a more elaborated physical model is considered. The influence of several parameters, depending on the reed properties, the design of the instrument or the control operated by the player, are studied. Previous results on the influence of the reed resonance frequency are confirmed. New results concerning the simultaneous influence of two model parameters on oscillation threshold, regime selection and playing frequency are presented and discussed. The authors use a numerical continuation approach. Numerical continuation consists in following a given solution of a set of equations when a parameter varies. Considering the instrument as a dynamical system, the oscillation threshold problem is formulated as a path following of Hopf bifurcations, generalizing the usual approach of the characteristic equation, as used in previous works. The proposed numerical approach proves to be useful for the study of musical instruments. It is complementary to analytical analysis and direct time-domain or frequency-domain simulations since it allows to derive information that is hardly reachable through simulation, without the approximations needed for analytical approach.     

High order harmonic balance formulation of free and encapsulated microbubbles

The radial responses of free and encapsulated microbubbles excited by an ultrasonic plane wave with a large wavelength in comparison with the bubble size are governed by NonLinear Ordinary Differential Equations (NL-ODEs). The nonlinear frequency response gives the harmonic content of the time response and constitutes the expected outcome of a high order harmonic analysis. In this paper, high order harmonic balance analysis of modified “RPNNP” (bubble), Hoff and Marmottant (contrast agents) models is performed with an open-source software program. For this purpose, the original NL-ODEs are recast into nonlinear systems in which the nonlinearities are at most quadratic. In the spectral domain, this recast provides close form and aliasing-free solutions of arbitrarily large numbers of harmonics. Relevant quantities such as primary and secondary resonances and the nonlinear amplitude threshold of the excitation wave are evaluated. The frequency curves drawn up characterize the bending and quantify the jump frequencies and amplitudes of each harmonic component. The results obtained with this predictive method confirm that it should provide a useful tool for nonlinear bubble detection and sizing and for contrast agent designing.