Simultaneous evaluation of acoustic nonlinearity parameter and attenuation coefficients using the finite amplitude method

A novel method to determine acoustic parameters involved in measuring the nonlinearity parameter of fluids or solids is proposed. The approach is based on the measurement of fundamental and second harmonic pressures with a calibrated receiver, and on a nonlinear least squares data-fitting to multi-Gaussian beam (MGB) equations which explicitly define the attenuation and diffraction effects in the quasilinear regime. Results obtained in water validate the proposed method. The choice of suitable source pressure is discussed with regard to the quasilinear approximation involved. The attenuation coefficients are also acquired in nonlinear regime and their relations are discussed. (C) 2015 Author(s).