Sound propagation in ionized gases and electro acoustic effect†

Abstract

Using hydrodynamical methods, the propagation of pressure waves in a non-isothermal fully ionized gas has been considered for a situation where collision between various particles cannot be ignored and the following pressure equation has been obtained :equation pending -aleM’1«VV+ l'Vl/eSV4p = 0. where I'V.Ve* and V'i2 represent respectively ykTi ykTc, yfc(T, + Tc) and mi me mi and other symbols have their usual meaning. This gives the following dispersion relation for a sinusoidal sound wave ViVJk- [ Kc2wa - - tVclM) Vi role=] k2 + [a>4- (wes -ivciu) u role=“italic”>] = 0, The phase velocity of propagation and attenuation of the sound waves have been discussed in the low frequency and high frequency region and it has been shown that low frequency sound waves travel with a velocity V1 while high frequency sound waves are carried by ions and electrons with velocities V1 and Ve respectively. Because of the difference in the masses of the ions and electrons, an electrostatic field of the same frequency as th...