Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 April 2006
This paper concerns the conversion of momentum and energy from evanescent surface waves into sound. Exact results are obtained from surface waves of specified form on a confined region of an otherwise rigid plane surface. The model chosen is simple enough for exact analysis while approximating some of what we believe to be significant aspects of sound generation by vibrating surface panels.
We find that the evanescent wave approaching an edge gives up all of its energy into sound, a sound which is beamed mainly parallel to the direction of the surface-wave phase velocity. The surface remains energetically inactive, but exerts a force on the fluid in the opposite direction to the incoming wave. This force is balanced by a nonlinear mean pressure gradient in the field of the evanescent wave, and by momentum in the sound field.
Sound is also produced when a similar evanescent wave emerges from an edge. The surface has then to provide the necessary energy for both waves. These waves induce a mean axial force at the boundary which forces the fluid in the direction of the receding evanescent wave.
A similar wave travelling across a finite panel in the otherwise rigid plane surface is observed to have some characteristics of the previous two cases, but there is no axial force arising from the mean pressure gradient.
These results are applied to the problem of a semi-infinite tensioned membrane, and the energy radiation under light fluid loading is determined for the case of high and low free membrane wave speeds.