On the propagation of elastic waves in aeolotropic media. III. Media of cubic symmetry

Abstract

The general analysis presented in part I under this title is here adapted to obtain the velocity, inverse and w ave surfaces of a medium of cubic symmetry. Using the elastic constants of ( a ) aluminium and ( b ) nickel, the co-ordinates of points on the velocity and inverse surfaces which lie in (1, 0, 0) and (1, 1, 0) planes have been calculated and plotted. The corresponding points on the wave surface, which also lie in these planes of symmetry, have been derived, but the sections of the wave surface so obtained are incomplete. The results of an extensive computation of points on the wave surface for copper are presented and from these and the reciprocal relation between inverse and w ave surfaces the nature of the wave surface is inferred. The geometrical singularities of the surface so envisaged are given physical interpretations.