Bell clapper impact dynamics and the voicing of a carillon

The periodic re-voicing of the bell clappers of the Australian National Carillon in Canberra provided an opportunity for the study of the acoustic effects of this operation. After prolonged playing, the impact of the pear-shaped clapper on a bell produces a significant flat area on both the clapper and the inside surface of the bell. This deformation significantly decreases the duration of the impact event and has the effect of increasing the relative amplitude of higher modes in the bell sound, making it "brighter" or even "clangy." This effect is studied by comparing the spectral envelope of the sounds of several bells before and after voicing. Theoretical analysis shows that the clapper actually strikes the bell and remains in contact with the bell surface until it is ejected by a displacement pulse that has traveled around the complete circumference of the bell. The contact time, typically about 1 ms, is therefore much longer than the effective impact time, which is only a few tenths of a millisecond. Both the impact time and the contact time are reduced by the presence of a flat on the clapper.     

Rotational aerophones

Free rotational aerophones such as the bullroarer, which consists of a wooden slat whirled around on the end of a string, and which emits a loud pulsating roar, have been used in many ancient and traditional societies for ceremonial purposes. This article presents an experimental and theoretical investigation of this instrument. The aerodynamics of rotational behavior is elucidated, and relates slat rotation frequency to slat width and velocity through the air. Analysis shows that sound production is due to generation of an oscillating-rotating dipole across the slat, the role of the vortices shed by the slat being relatively minor. Apparent discrepancies between the behavior of a bullroarer slat and a slat mounted on an axle in a wind tunnel are shown to be due to viscous friction in the bearings of the wind-tunnel experiment.     

Introduction to string theory and conformal field theory

A concise survey of noncritical string theory and two-dimensional conformal field theory is presented. A detailed derivation of a conformal anomaly and the definition and general properties of conformal field theory are given. Minimal string theory, which is a special version of the theory, is considered. Expressions for the string susceptibility and gravitational dimensions are derived.     

Vocal tract resonances and the sound of the Australian didjeridu (yidaki) I. experiment

The didjeridu, or yidaki, is a simple tube about 1.5 m long, played with the lips, as in a tuba, but mostly producing just a tonal, rhythmic drone sound. The acoustic impedance spectra of performers' vocal tracts were measured while they played and compared with the radiated sound spectra. When the tongue is close to the hard palate, the vocal tract impedance has several maxima in the range 1-3 kHz. These maxima, if sufficiently large, produce minima in the spectral envelope of the sound because the corresponding frequency components of acoustic current in the flow entering the instrument are small. In the ranges between the impedance maxima, the lower impedance of the tract allows relatively large acoustic current components that correspond to strong formants in the radiated sound. Broad, weak formants can also be observed when groups of even or odd harmonics coincide with bore resonances. Schlieren photographs of the jet entering the instrument and high speed video images of the player's lips show that the lips are closed for about half of each cycle, thus generating high levels of upper harmonics of the lip frequency. Examples of the spectra of "circular breathing" and combined playing and vocalization are shown.     

Measurement of single electron production up to 45 GeV/c transverse momentum at the CERN ISR

The production of single electrons of transverse momentum between 1.8 and 45 GeV/c is measured in pp collisions at √s=53 and 63 GeV. Contributions from ?,ω,?,ψ, ?, DD? and Drell-Yan pairs are deduced from measurements in the same apparatus.     

A remark on the three approaches to 2D quantum gravity

The one-matrix model is considered. The generating function of the correlation numbers is defined in such a way that this function coincides with the generating function of the Liouville gravity. Using the Kontsevich theorem we explain that this generating function is an analytic continuation of the generating function of the Topological gravity. We check the topological recursion relations for the correlation functions in the p-critical Matrix model.     

Study of a Mixing Layer Formed by a Supersonic Main Stream of Air and a Co-Flowing Supersonic Helium Jet

The development of large-scale organised motions in a compressible mixing layer is studied experimentally using holographic interferometry, pressure and turbulence measurements. The mixing layer was formed behind the base of a parallel strut with a Mach 2 air main stream and a co-flowing two-dimensional slot jet (aspect ratio = 45) of helium at a Mach number of 1.2. The mixing layer exhibited highly organised vortical structures which were elongated and inclined approximately 45–50° to the flow direction. The mixing layer showed a linear growth and the mean velocity data indicated self-similar behaviour at sufficiently downstream distances. The results have shown that the thickness of the primary boundary layer has a strong influence on the growth and structure of the mixing layer. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Reduction of benzophenone by SmI2: the role of proton donors in determining product distribution

[reaction: see text] Reduction of benzophenone by SmI2 yields benzopinacol. Addition of proton donors results in an initial increase in the amount of the benzhydrol formed. However, the ratio benzhydrol/benzopinacol reaches a maximum, decreases, and then levels off as the proton donor concentration is further increased. The position of the maximum and its height depend on the proton donor concentration and its kinetic acidity. The momentary concentration of the intermediate radicals governs the product distribution.