A Theoretical and Experimental Study of the Propagation of Plane Finite Amplitude Waves in Real Fluids.

摘要

Longitudinal elastic waves of large amplitude propagated in real fluids exhibit a change in form and amplitude as they travel. An initially sinusoidal plane, finite amplitude wave is of special interest. A theory is presented which predicts the harmonic structure of such a wave on the hypothesis that interactions between harmonic components of the wave are weak compared with the processes which generate and absorb harmonics. The result is given as an infinite sum of infinite series, and is a function of two parameters, one which specifies the initial conditions, and one which specifies the distance of travel in a reduced form. Numerical values of the predicted fundamental, second, and third harmonics are tabulated for general use: the numerical values of the second and third harmonics have been computed for a wide range of the governing parameters. The general behavior of the harmonic structure is as expected from plausible arguments and the results of other investigators. (Author)