B3.25

Waves in Fluid and Solid Media
Part II, 2003

Derive the wave equation governing the velocity potential for linearised sound in a perfect gas. How is the pressure disturbance related to the velocity potential? Write down the spherically symmetric solution to the wave equation with time dependence eiωte^{i \omega t}, which is regular at the origin.

A high pressure gas is contained, at density ρ0\rho_{0}, within a thin metal spherical shell which makes small amplitude spherically symmetric vibrations. Ignore the low pressure gas outside. Let the metal shell have radius aa, mass mm per unit surface area, and elastic stiffness which tries to restore the radius to its equilibrium value a0a_{0} with a force κ(aa0)-\kappa\left(a-a_{0}\right) per unit surface area. Show that the frequency of these vibrations is given by

ω2(m+ρ0a0θcotθ1)=κ where θ=ωa0/c0\omega^{2}\left(m+\frac{\rho_{0} a_{0}}{\theta \cot \theta-1}\right)=\kappa \quad \text { where } \theta=\omega a_{0} / c_{0}