Directional acoustic beams are used in diverse sonar systems. For efficient transmission of a sonar signal, the sound energy is projected in a narrow beam . For reduced interference in reception, the sound signal is received from a narrow spatial sector. Typically, such beams have associated sidelobes which adversely affect sonar performance. The goal of this thesis is to propose several novel acoustic arrays which are capable of generating desired search-light-type and fan-type beams with greatly reduced sidelobes. These novel acoustic arrays have fewer elements than conventional arrays of similar performance. The design of such novel arrays is inherently more difficult, however, since it involves nonlinear optimization. Such an optimization is normally computationally intensive and may not be globally convergent. This difficulty has been overcome by newly developed concepts and associated array pattern synthesis methods. A new concept called the equivalent linear array is introduced; a design method based on this concept benefits from existing design techniques developed for linear arrays. The equivalent linear array concept is further developed to lead to a new and effective method for array radiation pattern synthesis. A second new concept called the scale-invariance radiation pattern is introduced, and the subsequent relation between two novel arrays is discovered. Using this concept an angle mapping approach is developed which transforms a radiation pattern generated by a circular ring array to that of an elliptic ring array. This approach takes advantage of methodologies developed for the design of circular ring arrays. A third concept, constraint directions, is introduced; a subsequent new iterative method for array pattern synthesis is developed to meet the need in compact receiving/transmitting array design. With the help of these new concepts, the proposed synthesis methods avoid the use of nonlinear optimization techniques and merely require simple matrix operations. The methods can be applied to the problems of synthesizing radiation patterns of arrays with arbitrary sidelobe envelopes, with nonisotropic elements, and with nonuniform spacing between elements. The usefulness of the developed methodologies is demonstrated in various design examples. The methods developed provide powerfuI tools not only to design novel acoustic arrays but also to design antenna arrays. / Graduate

The overall objective of this thesis was to predict, model and measure low frequency acoustic backscatter from the sea surface zone (SSZ). In particular, the objectives were fourfold: to relate the acoustic backscatter Doppler spectrum to the directional waveheight spectrum (DWS) through a perturbation analysis; to develop instrumentation suitable for measuring the properties of acoustic backscatter from the SSZ; to design and implement signal processing hardware and software to process raw data from the instrument; and to deploy the instrument and make measurements to test the validity of the predictions of the theoretical development. A theoretical framework was developed to enable a test of the acoustic analogue of the Coastal Ocean Dynamics Applications Radar (CODAR) technique, using beamforming techniques to simulate the CODAR antennas. Expressions relating the CODAR antenna outputs to the output of an array of omnidirectional acoustic point sensors were developed, and mathematical algorithms and techniques were derived to extract information about the DWS of surface gravity waves from acoustic Doppler backscatter measurements with the array. Models were developed and implemented, showing the expected form of the power spectral density of the acoustic Doppler backscatter seen by single omnidirectional receivers, and the expected form of data products of the beamformed array. An acoustic instrument — the Upward-Looking Sonar Array System (ULSAS) — was developed for stand-alone, remotely controlled operation in both bottom-situated and deep-water, surface-tethered configurations. This device can collect and store large quantities of acoustic data from a multi-element array, under the control of a distant operator over a radio link. The bottom-situated version was deployed in the coastal waters of British Columbia, and the deep water version was deployed in the recent Surface Wave Processes (SWAPP) experiment. A preliminary test of the acoustic CODAR technique was made, yielding information consistent with the known wind and wave field. The form of the non-directional part of the extracted DWS followed approximately the expected k⁻⁴ shape for k values above saturation. Beamforming results using frequency-domain data show that the Doppler-shifted acoustic backscatter is directional in nature. These are the first results of this kind to be reported. The deep-water version of ULSAS was tested for the first time during the SWAPP cruise. In spite of a problem limiting the power output of the projector, estimates of the surface scattering strength parameter over angles of incidence less than 45° were made, showing some surprising departures from the Chapman-Harris empirical formula for S₅ , and interesting angular structure. Measurements of the ambient noise field were also made under calm conditions and during 14 kt winds. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

The propagation of acoustic plate-mode waves in composite membranes is studied. A computer program has been developed and used to calculate the wave velocity and electromechanical coupling factor in these structures which may consist of any combination of piezoelectric layers with arbitrary orientation and surface metallization. In particular, shear modes (SH) in zinc-oxide and selenium membranes, as well as stiffened-Lamb modes in ZnO membranes and ZnO/Si, ZnO/GaAs composite membranes are studied. / The surface-acoustic-wave propagation in selenium and in selenium layers on tellurium has been extensively studied using an improved computer program. The study shows that surface-wave coupling factors in the range of 0.5 to 1.5% are possible with these structures. The calculated sensitivity of the velocity and coupling factor to errors in material constants shows that an accurate value of the e(,11) constant for selenium is necessary for an accurate estimate of the coupling factor. / A technology for fabricating selenium-tellurium layered structures for SAW propagation has been successfully developed. Measurements on fabricated SAW delay lines were carried out and estimates of the coupling factor and the acoustic attenuation obtained. These measurements, taken together with previously published results, confirm that the published value of e(,11) = 0.32 C/m('2) is too small.

No description available.

Phased microphone arrays are valuable tools for aeroacoustic measurements that can measure the directivity of multiple acoustic sources. However, when deployed in closed test-section wind tunnels, the acoustics suffer due to intense pressure fluctuations contained in the wall-bound turbulent boundary layer. Furthermore, phased microphone arrays require many sensors distributed over a large aperture to ensure good spatial resolution over a wide frequency range. Microphone arrays of such large count are not always feasible due to constraints in space and cost. This thesis describes an alternative approach for measuring single broadband acoustic sources that uses an acoustic metasurface. The metasurface is comprised of a meandering channel of quarter-wave cavities and an array of equally spaced half-wave open through-cavities. A series of tests were conducted in Virginia Tech's Anechoic Wall-Jet Tunnel where combinations of a wall-bound turbulent jet-flow and a single broadband acoustic source were used to excite the metasurface and produce acoustic surface waves. Measurements of the acoustic surface waves were performed using two methods: a pair of traversing microphones scanning the pressure field along the length of the metasurface 0.25 mm beneath its bottom face, and an array of unequally spaced microphones embedded inside the metasurface. Spectral analysis on the measurements revealed that the inclusion of multiple through-cavities leads to constructive reinforcement of select acoustic surface waves as a function of the acoustic source location. In the case of the embedded microphones, acoustic beamforming was applied in order to extract spatial information. This reinforcement was observed during measurements made with both flow and acoustic excitation, up to Wall-Jet Tunnel nozzle exit speeds of 40 m/s beyond which it was no longer seen. A series of quiescent measurements made with a range of speaker locations constituted a calibration for the metasurface which was used to locate an unknown broadband acoustic source within an The Root-Mean-Square (RMS) error of 1.06 degrees. / Master of Science / Phased microphone arrays are valuable tools for aeroacoustic measurements that can measure the directivity of multiple acoustic sources within a sound field. When used in conjunction with signal processing techniques, such as delay-and-sum beamforming, a researcher or engineer can obtain an intuitive view of the sound field and distinguish between multiple sources over a wide frequency range. However, these microphone arrays often utilize dozens of microphones which raises the array's complexity and cost. Furthermore, when a phased microphone array is mounted flush to the wall of a wind tunnel test section, it is submerged under a turbulent boundary layer which imposes intense pressure fluctuations on the microphones making it difficult to identify acoustic sources. Boundary layers form at the interface between a fluid and solid interface. This thesis describes experimentation performed in the Virginia Tech Anechoic Wall-Jet Tunnel on a new type of pressure sensing microphone array that leverage acoustic metamaterial technology. The acoustic metamaterial shields the microphones from the flow, lessening the influence of the turbulent boundary layer on the measurement. The focus in this thesis is on the novel array's ability to locate a single broadband acoustic source using as few as six microphones. The metasurface was installed in the Wall-Jet Tunnel test plate such that an array of evenly spaced through-cavities are flush to the surface. The through-cavities communicate the pressure field on top of the test surface to a meandering channel of interconnected closed cavities below. Near the resonant depth frequencies of the closed cavities, acoustic surface waves form which are evanescent pressure waves that are bound to the surface or structure that support them. The interference between the acoustic surface waves generated at each through-cavity leads to reinforced acoustic surface waves which are sensitive to the direction of a broadband source. In all, an acoustic metamaterial was tested under a variety of conditions such as: Wall-Jet Tunnel flow speed, speaker location, and the number of through-cavities open. The performance of the novel array and future plans are discussed.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-96).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-96).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 235-244).

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: Magnetorheological Homogenization wave acoustic. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-97). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.