Pressure wave propagation inside a sonoluminescing gas bubble

Abstract

The propagation of a pressure wave induced by the rapid bubble wall motion near the bubble collapse was studied analytically for a sonoluminescing gas bubble. It has been found that a pressure wave rather than a shock wave is launched into the bubble center just prior to the bubble collapse and the wave is reflected near the center. It has also been found that as the gas pressure inside the bubble increases, so the reflection point moves farther from the center. No sharp focusing developed by an inwardly moving shock wave reflected at the origin has been found. The temperature rise associated with the pressure wave developed inside the bubble turns out to be insufficient for emitting light.