A CONCEPTUAL-MODEL FOR ACOUSTIC MICROCAVITATION

A conceptual model is developed to explain microcavitation events at low megahertz frequencies and low duty cycles, facilitated by smooth, spherical, submicrometer sized particles in clean water. The extremely high levels of accelerations associated with high-frequency acoustic fields, the active detector field, can, according to this model, ''coax'' such smooth particles to nucleate cavitation events at reduced thresholds. This conceptual model should help further experimentation exploring the phenomenon of ''acoustic coaxing'' for microcavitation. (C) 1995 Acoustical Society of America.