(400 pages)

Experimental Methods in the Physical Sciences, Volume 39 : Modern Acoustical Techniques for the Measurement of Mechanical Properties (Experimental Methods in the Physical Sciences) publisher: Academic Press released: 2001-09-15 ISBN: 0124759866 $206.00

This volume provides an overview of modern acoustical techniques for the measurement of mechanical properties. Chapters include Fundamentals of Elastic Constants; Point Source/Point Receiver Methods; Laser Controlled Surface Acoustic Waves; Quantitative Acoustical Microscopy of Solids; Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy; Elastic Properties and Thermodynamics; Sound Speed as a Thermodynamic Property of Fluids; Noninvasive Determination of Sound Speed in Liquids; Introduction to the Elastic Constants of Gases; and Acoustic Measurement in Gases.

(320 pages)

Aeroacoustic Measurements publisher: Springer released: 2002-09-17 ISBN: 3540417575 $125.00

The goal of Aeroacoustic Measurements is to provide a basis for assessing mechanisms of noise generation, and to develop methods of reducing noise to more acceptable levels. However, the measurements themselves are complex, and require a deep understanding of the experimental facility utilized (such as a wind tunnel), measurement instrumentation, and data analysis techniques.
In this volume recent advances in the measurement and understanding of aerodynamically generated sound are presented by leaders in the development of new techniques in this field. Both basic and applied problems are covered in detail.

(392 pages)

EMATs for Science and Industry: Noncontacting Ultrasonic Measurements by: Masahiko Hirao, Hirotsugu Ogi publisher: Springer released: 2003-09-30 ISBN: 1402074948 $150.00

EMATs for Science and Industry comprises the physical principles of electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) and the applications to scientific and industrial ultrasonic measurements on materials. The text is arranged in four parts:
-PART I is intended to be a self-contained description of the basic elements of coupling mechanism along with practical designing of EMATs for various purposes. There are several implementations to compensate for the low transfer efficiency of the EMATs. Useful tips to make an EMAT are also presented.
-PART II describes the principle of electromagnetic acoustic resonance (EMAR), which makes the most of contactless nature of EMATs and is the most successful amplification mechanism for precise velocity and attenuation measurements.
-PART III applies EMAR to studying the physical acoustics. New measurements emerged on three major subjects; in situ monitoring of dislocation behavior, determination of anisotropic elastic constants, and acoustic nonlinearity evolution.
-PART IV deals with a variety of individual topics encountered in industrial applications, for which the EMATs are believed to the best solutions.

The authors' work in this area has shown Electromagnetic acoustic resonance (EMAR) to be applicable not only to the acoustoelastic stress measurements, but also to many other nondestructive evaluation issues, including the determination of attenuation in solids. Noncontact measurement with high enough signal intensity was striking. Basic preconditions of theoretical approaches were realized by eliminating artifacts caused by the contact transducers. EMAR thus illuminated antiquated theories, which were accepted to be of little use or limited to qualitative interpretation of observations. It also uncovered interesting phenomena. Continuous monitoring of attenuation and acoustic nonlinearity resulted in the detection of ongoing microstructure evolutions in deforming or fatiguing metals.

The aim of this book is to provide practical answers to the needs of ultrasonic measurements as well as an understanding of a novel methodology.

(264 pages)

Piezoelectric Sensorics: Force, Strain, Pressure, Acceleration and Acoustic Emission Sensors, Materials and Amplifiers by: Gustav H. Gautschi publisher: Springer released: 2006-03-14 $64.80

This book is well written and has a great bibliography. I would have preferred it had not been split off from the previous combined volume as I don't know where to get the first volume in an English version.

Only having read about ten percent of this book so far, one might say that a review may need to wait. On the other hand I rarely see a technical book showing as much craft and wisdom that I have to write something immediately.

Mr. Gautschi has given us a text that primes us for both the technical aspects of the subject as well as the deeper, understandably hard-to-ferret-out details of the topic. I'd say it's anecdotal at times, but he's taken a typically dry subject and made it come to life by weaving historic, and at times obscure side notes to the discussions on his chosen subject.

The wisdom of the book is quite evident, and I appreciate this immensely.

The book also contains applications information that is a welcome departure from the steady grind, grind, grind of analytical proofs that only a molecule could appreciate.

Sure, there's that stuff, too. Yet this book combines a lot of information on the subject of piezoelectric devices and sensors to the point it is actually useful and meaningful as a stand alone reference.

P. Gibson
Electrical Engineer

(192 pages)

Otoacoustic Emissions: Basic Science for Clinical Applications (Singular Audiology Text) by: Charles I Berlin publisher: Singular released: 1998-03-01 ISBN: 1565939751 $99.95

Dedicated to Dr. David Kemp who in 1996, was chosen for his essential research and discovery of otoacoustic emissions, this outstanding third book in the Kresge-Mirmelstein award series is a true celebration of scholarship. The highlight of the book is Dr. Kemp's definitive chapter, Distorted Echoes of the Cochlea's Traveling Wave. Original, informative, and comprehensive, this chapter provides a wealth of information and a unique historical perspective on the subject. Accompanied by a CD-ROM, and featuring contributions from international and leading experts in the field, this volume is an invaluable source of essential information never before published.