Finite difference approximation errors in acoustic intensity measurements

The errors due to developmental finite difference approximations in the two-microphone acoustic intensity measurement technique are considered in this paper. Equations are developed which describe the errors in intensity measurements for point monopoles, dipoles, and lateral quadrupoles. High accuracy is shown possible with careful selection of measurement parameters for each of these sources. For a microphone separation of 8 mm approximation errors are shown to be less than 2 dB from 0 to 10 000 Hz. For the quadrupole source low frequency errors not present with other sources are demonstrated. A lower limiting frequency for intensity measurements is determined to prevent these low frequency errors.