Bifurcation of ensemble oscillations and acoustic emissions from early stage cavitation clouds in focused ultrasound

Gerold, B., Rachmilevitch, I. and Prentice, P. (2013) Bifurcation of ensemble oscillations and acoustic emissions from early stage cavitation clouds in focused ultrasound. New Journal of Physics, 15(3), 033044. (doi: 10.1088/1367-2630/15/3/033044)

Abstract

The acoustic emissions from single cavitation clouds at an early stage of development in 0.521 MHz focused ultrasound of varying intensity, are detected and directly correlated to high-speed microscopic observations, recorded at 1 × 106 frames per second. At lower intensities, a stable regime of cloud response is identified whereby bubble-ensembles exhibit oscillations at half the driving frequency, which is also detected in the acoustic emission spectra. Higher intensities generate clouds that develop more rapidly, with increased nonlinearity evidenced by a bifurcation in the frequency of ensemble response, and in the acoustic emissions. A single bubble oscillation model is subject to equivalent ultrasound conditions and fitted to features in the hydrophone and high-speed spectral data, allowing an effective quiescent radius to be inferred for the clouds that evolve at each intensity. The approach indicates that the acoustic emissions originate from the ensemble dynamics and that the cloud acts as a single bubble of equivalent radius in terms of the scattered field. Jetting from component cavities on the periphery of clouds is regularly observed at higher intensities. The results may be of relevance for monitoring and controlling cavitation in therapeutic applications of focused ultrasound, where the phenomenon has the potential to mediate drug delivery from vasculature.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by TENOVUS Scotland and European Regional Development Funding. BG was supported by an Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC, UK) DTA award.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gerold, Dr Bjoern and Prentice, Dr Paul
• Authors: Gerold, B., Rachmilevitch, I., and Prentice, P.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering; College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• Journal Name: New Journal of Physics
• Publisher: IOP Publishing
• ISSN: 1367-2630
• ISSN (Online): 1367-2630
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft
• First Published: First published in New Journal of Physics 15:033044
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a creative commons license