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At least 181 records · Page 10

Acoustic wave propagation in the solar atmosphere 1. Rediscussion of the linearized theory including nonstationary solutions

The normal dispersion analysis for linear adiabatic wave propagation in stratified atmospheres adopts a real frequency and solves for the complex vertical wavenumber. We show that an exponentially stratified atmosphere does not have any spatially bounded normal modes for real frequencies. The usual treatment involves a representation where the imaginary part of the vertical wavenumber yields a rho(sup -1/2) dependence of the velocity amplitude which diverges as the absolute value of z approaches infinity. This solution includes a cutoff frequency below which acoustic modes cannot propagate. The standard dispersion analysis is a local representation of the wave behavior in both space and time but which is assumed to represent the motion throughout - infinity is less than t is less than infinity and 0 is less than infinity. However, any solution which has a purely sinusoidal time dependence extends through this full domain and is divergent due to the rho(sup -1/2) dependence. We show that a proper description is in terms of a near field of a boundary piston which is driven arbitrarily as a function of space and time. The atmosphere which responds to this piston is a semi-infinite layer which has an initially constant sound speed but which has the usual gravitational stratification. In a restricted domain of space and time above this boundary, the wavelike behavior of the medium may be described by frequencies and vertical wavenumbers which are both complex. When both parameters are allowed to have imaginary components, a new range of solutions is found for which there is virtually no cutoff frequency. We show that vertical energy propagation can take place through the solar atmosphere as a result of oscillations below the nominal cutoff frequency. Previously, the largest amplitude oscillations which generally have low frequencies were dropped from the calculation of energy flux becuase their frequencies are below the cutoff frequency. This new family of near-field waves permits these modes to carry energy vertically outward and raises the possibility that the largest amplitude 5 minute oscillations play a substantial role in the transport of acoustic energy to the chromosphere.

Wang, Zhengzhi↗

Analysis and acoustooptical measurements of bulk and surface acoustic wave fields

The development of multielement ultrasonic transducers having full field amplitude and phase control is discussed. In addition, the measurement of the surface particle displacement caused by an idealized impulse load on the surface, the three dimensional mapping of acoustic fields using optical scanning techniques, and the measurement of two dimensional stress distributions using embedded optical fiber sensors are addressed.

Claus, R. O.↗

Application of guided acoustic waves to delamination detection

Guided plate waves are able to interact with structural flaws such as delaminations and cracks due to their propagation properties highly sensitive to the thickness change in materials. A technique which employs an acoustic damper to probe the results of this interaction and then to locate flaws in a relatively short period of time is developed. With its technical advantages, this technique shows its potential application to large area structural integrity assessment.

Sun, Keun J.↗

Localized sources of propagating acoustic waves in the solar photosphere

A time series of Doppler measurements of the solar photosphere with moderate spatial resolution is described which covers a portion of the solar disk surrounding a small sunspot group. At temporal frequencies above 5.5 mHz, the Doppler field probes the spatial and temporal distribution of regions that emit acoustic energy. In the frequency range between 5.5 and 7.5 mHz, inclusive, a small fraction of the surface area emits a disproportionate amount of acoustic energy. The regions with excess emission are characterized by a patchy structure at spatial scales of a few arcseconds and by association (but not exact co-location) with regions having substantial magnetic field strength. These observations bear on the conjecture that most of the acoustic energy driving solar p-modes is created in localized regions occupying a small fraction of the solar surface area.

Brown, Timothy M.↗

Heating of the lower thermosphere by the dissipation of acoustic waves

Infrasound of 0.2 Hz known as microbaroms, generated by interfering ocean waves, propagates into the lower thermosphere where it is dissipated between 110 and 140 km. It is shown here that under average conditions in winter the energy input into this region is of the order of 0.33 W/kg, the same as that estimated for gravity wave dissipation, and capable of producing a heating of at least 30 K/day. To arrive at this result different dissipation mechanisms are discussed, with the calculated attenuation compared to previously published observations and observations of natural infrasound at Palisades, N.Y. Increased acoustic attenuation due to the presence of turbulence is not, in general, in evidence.

Rind, D.↗

Line profiles and turbulence generated by acoustic waves in the solar chromosphere. II - Contours of the Ca II and Mg II K lines

Making use of the time-averaged absorption profiles derived by Oster and Ulmschneider, non-LTE line formation in the context of a two-level atom is investigated for an isothermal atmosphere and for the Ca II and Mg II K lines in the solar chromosphere as represented by the Harvard-Smithsonian Reference Atmosphere. Source functions and emergent line profiles are computed for a variety of assumptions concerning the acoustically broadened profiles and the solar velocity fields.

Shine, R. A.↗

Generation and Radiation of Acoustic Waves from a 2D Shear Layer

A thin free shear layer containing an inflection point in the mean velocity profile is inherently unstable. Disturbances in the flow field can excite the unstable behavior of a shear layer, if the appropriate combination of frequencies and shear layer thicknesses exists, causing instability waves to grow. For other combinations of frequencies and thicknesses, these instability waves remain neutral in amplitude or decay in the downstream direction. A growing instability wave radiates noise when its phase velocity becomes supersonic relative to the ambient speed of sound. This occurs primarily when the mean jet flow velocity is supersonic. Thus, the small disturbances in the flow, which themselves may generate noise, have generated an additional noise source. It is the purpose of this problem to test the ability of CAA to compute this additional source of noise. The problem is idealized such that the exciting disturbance is a fixed known acoustic source pulsating at a single frequency. The source is placed inside of a 2D jet with parallel flow; hence, the shear layer thickness is constant. With the source amplitude small enough, the problem is governed by the following set of linear equations given in dimensional form.

Dahl, Milo D.↗

Experimental study of outdoor propagation of spherically speading periodic acoustic waves of finite amplitude

The outdoor propagation of spherically spreading sound waves of finite amplitude was investigated. The main purpose of the experiments was to determine the extent to which the outdoor environment, mainly random inhomogeneity of the medium, affects finite amplitude propagation. Periodic sources with fundamental frequencies in the range 6 to 8 kHz and source levels SPLlm from 140 to 149 dB were used. The sources were an array of 7 to 10 horn drivers and a siren. The propagation path was vertical and parallel to an 85 m tower, whose elevator carried the traveling microphone. The general conclusions drawn from the experimental results were as follows. The inhomogeneities caused significant fluctuations in the instantaneous acoustic signal, but with sufficient time averaging of the measured harmonic levels, the results were comparable to results expected for propagation in a quiet medium. Propagation data for the fundamental of the siren approached within 1 dB of the weak shock saturation levels. Extra attenuation on the order of 8 dB was observed. The measurements generally confirmed the predictions of several theoretical models. The maximum propagation distance was 36 m. The narrowbeam arrays were much weaker sources. Nonlinear propagation distortion was produced, but the maximum value of extra attenuation measured was 1.5 dB. The maximum propagation distance was 76 m. The behavior of the asymetric waveforms received in one experiment qualitatively suggested that beam type diffraction effects were present. The role of diffraction of high intensity sound waves in radiation from a single horn was briefly investigated.

Theobald, M. A.↗

Resonant coupling of ionization waves and acoustic gravity waves in the presence of a magnetic field

The nature of the two resonant directions that occur for a single frequency in the presence of a magnetic field is demonstrated, along with the manner in which the resonances change with the dip angle and the angle of propagation from the meridian plane. The conditions under which acoustic branch resonances may occur are outlined. It is found that the calculated frequencies and directions for resonance are in the range of observed values for TID's obtained from ground and satellite measurements. This result is indicative of a possible connection between TID's and the resonance phenomenon. It is shown that a strong resonance type of response may be possible in the F region at a particular frequency from a region that can be as great as 100 km in altitude.

Eun, H.↗

Acoustic-wave detection via a piezoelectric field-effect transducer.

An oriented piezoelectric film has been incorporated in the insulator region of a silicon insulated-gate field-effect transistor to provide a sensitive high-frequency strain transducer. With this device, strains as low as 10 to the -8th power have been detected, and gauge factors of roughly 7000 have been attained for applied ac strains at 5.6 MHz.

Greeneich, E. W.↗

Surface acoustic wave stabilized oscillators: Additional aging results

Updated aging data for SAW oscillators with aluminum transducers on ST-cut quartz, for gold transducers on ST-cut quartz, and for aluminum transducers on SiO2/LiTaO3. Devices with gold transducers age differently (both and shape of curve) from those having a aluminum transducers indicating the transducer metallization can represent an important aging mechanism.

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