Paper 1, Section II, 40A

Waves
Part II, 2021

Compressible fluid of equilibrium density ρ0\rho_{0}, pressure p0p_{0} and sound speed c0c_{0} is contained in the region between an inner rigid sphere of radius RR and an outer elastic sphere of equilibrium radius 2R2 R. The elastic sphere is made to oscillate radially in such a way that it exerts a spherically symmetric, perturbation pressure p~=ϵp0cosωt\tilde{p}=\epsilon p_{0} \cos \omega t on the fluid at r=2Rr=2 R, where ϵ1\epsilon \ll 1 and the frequency ω\omega is sufficiently small that

αωRc0π2\alpha \equiv \frac{\omega R}{c_{0}} \leqslant \frac{\pi}{2}

You may assume that the acoustic velocity potential satisfies the wave equation

2ϕt2=c022ϕ\frac{\partial^{2} \phi}{\partial t^{2}}=c_{0}^{2} \nabla^{2} \phi

(a) Derive an expression for ϕ(r,t)\phi(r, t).

(b) Hence show that the net radial component of the acoustic intensity (wave-energy flux) I=p~u\mathbf{I}=\tilde{p} \mathbf{u} is zero when averaged appropriately in a way you should define. Interpret this result physically.

(c) Briefly discuss the possible behaviour of the system if the forcing frequency ω\omega is allowed to increase to larger values.

[\left[\right. For a spherically symmetric variable ψ(r,t),2ψ=1r2r2(rψ).]\left.\psi(r, t), \nabla^{2} \psi=\frac{1}{r} \frac{\partial^{2}}{\partial r^{2}}(r \psi) .\right]