Remote sensing and reconstruction of thermal transients in a one-dimensional solid rod using thermoelastic waves

We investigate the use of thermoelastic waves in solids to remotely sense and reconstruct dynamic temperature fields beyond the capabilities of currently available thermal sensors. We propose a methodology for the reconstruction of amplitude and location of thermal transients based on temperature-induced acoustic generation by exploiting the coupled thermoelastic behavior of solids. Temporal and spatial gradients in temperatures at surface or interior points in a solid induce acoustic waves that can be detected and used for the identification and reconstruction of the thermal load. The methodology is developed and numerically investigated by using a one-dimensional solid rod as an example. Results show that even step-like thermal transients can be accurately reconstructed based on the measured acoustic response. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.