Paper 1, Section II, B

Waves
Part II, 2017

Derive the wave equation governing the pressure disturbance p~\tilde{p}, for linearised, constant entropy sound waves in a compressible inviscid fluid of density ρ0\rho_{0} and sound speed c0c_{0}, which is otherwise at rest.

Consider a harmonic acoustic plane wave with wavevector kI=kI(sinθ,cosθ,0)\mathbf{k}_{I}=k_{I}(\sin \theta, \cos \theta, 0) and unit-amplitude pressure disturbance. Determine the resulting velocity field u\mathbf{u}.

Consider such an acoustic wave incident from y<0y<0 on a thin elastic plate at y=0y=0. The regions y<0y<0 and y>0y>0 are occupied by gases with densities ρ1\rho_{1} and ρ2\rho_{2}, respectively, and sound speeds c1c_{1} and c2c_{2}, respectively. The kinematic boundary conditions at the plate are those appropriate for an inviscid fluid, and the (linearised) dynamic boundary condition is

m2ηt2+B4ηx4+[p~(x,0,t)]+=0m \frac{\partial^{2} \eta}{\partial t^{2}}+B \frac{\partial^{4} \eta}{\partial x^{4}}+[\tilde{p}(x, 0, t)]_{-}^{+}=0

where mm and BB are the mass and bending moment per unit area of the plate, and y=η(x,t)y=\eta(x, t) (with kIη1\left|\mathbf{k}_{I} \eta\right| \ll 1 ) is its perturbed position. Find the amplitudes of the reflected and transmitted pressure perturbations, expressing your answers in terms of the dimensionless parameter

β=kIcosθ(mc12BkI2sin4θ)ρ1c12\beta=\frac{k_{I} \cos \theta\left(m c_{1}^{2}-B k_{I}^{2} \sin ^{4} \theta\right)}{\rho_{1} c_{1}^{2}}

(i) If ρ1=ρ2=ρ0\rho_{1}=\rho_{2}=\rho_{0} and c1=c2=c0c_{1}=c_{2}=c_{0}, under what condition is the incident wave perfectly transmitted?

(ii) If ρ1c1ρ2c2\rho_{1} c_{1} \gg \rho_{2} c_{2}, comment on the reflection coefficient, and show that waves incident at a sufficiently large angle are reflected as if from a pressure-release surface (i.e. an interface where p~=0\tilde{p}=0 ), no matter how large the plate mass and bending moment may be.