Radiation Acoustics

This volume describes processes of thermoradiation (thermoelastic) excitation of sound by modulated and pulsed penetrating radiation.

Radiation acoustics is a developing field lying at the intersection of acoustics, high-energy physics, nuclear physics, and condensed matter physics. Radiation Acoustics is among the first books to address this promising field of study, and the first to collect all of the most significant results achieved since research in this area began in earnest in the 1970s.

The book begins by reviewing the data on elementary particles, absorption of penetrating radiation in a substance, and the mechanisms of acoustic radiation excitation. The next seven chapters present a theoretical treatment of thermoradiation sound generation in condensed media under the action of modulated penetrating radiation and radiation pulses. The author explores particular features of the acoustic fields of moving thermoradiation sound sources, sound excitation by single high-energy particles, and the efficiency and optimal conditions of thermoradiation sound generation. Experimental results follow the theoretical discussions, and these clearly demonstrate the validity of the thermoradiation theory. The book concludes with discussions on applications, including the large-scale DUMAND and GENIUS projects now on the horizon.

Radiation acoustics holds enormous potential for applications in areas such as microelectronics, geophysics, and astrophysics. This book offers a unique opportunity to benefit from the approach and extensive experience of author Leonid N. Lyamshev, who in this, his last book, shows how he left an indelible mark on the world of acoustics.