Nonlinearly generated spectral components in the nearfield of a directive sound source Available to Purchase

Nonlinear propagation of sound waves generated by a directive ultrasound source in air is discussed theoretically and experimentally. The circular source of 21 cm in radius consists of 1410 small PZT bimorph transducers, whose resonance frequency is 28 kHz. For a single‐frequency wave excitation, sound pressures of the fundamental, second, and third harmonics are measured and are compared with the numerical results using a method of Aanonsen et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 75, 749–768 (1984)]. Extending their initial condition to the case of a two‐frequency wave excitation, propagation curves and beam patterns of the difference frequency sound are obtained and compared with the measured data. All observations quantitatively agree very well with the numerical calculation. Nonlinear attenuation of spectral components by increasing the source pressure is clearly confirmed.