Modeling of continuous acoustic field with sparse transducer arrays

The overarching objective of this research is to explore the effectiveness of reproducing an acoustic field with a sparse array of transducers. This paper presents a comparison of the beam pattern formed by an arbitrarily acoustically excited rectangular aperture with that of a sparse array of transducers with approximately the same dimensions of the rectangular aperture. The accuracy of sparse arrays containing different numbers of transducer elements in different physical arrangements is investigated. The beam-forming accuracy for different frequencies, given as ratios of wavelength to aperture size, is also investigated. Conclusions determine the precision with which continuous sound-radiating apertures may be modeled by discrete representations, as well as the expected minimum number (and arrangement) of sources required for optimal sound field reproduction.