Frequency Dependence Of Attenuation Coefficient Research Articles

Attenuation characteristics of concrete using smart aggregate transducers: Experiments and numerical simulations of P-wave propagation

Concrete is a highly heterogeneous construction material. Waves that propagate through concrete face significant reflection, scattering, and attenuation issues. Understanding the behavior of waves as they propagate through concrete and arrive at a sensor has generated much attention, especially for developing real-world field applications. In this study, a predictive model of attenuated P-wave propagation using Rayleigh damping is presented. The method used frequency excitations ranging from 20 to 200 kHz and smart aggregates (SAs) were embedded in a concrete specimen to excite and receive P-waves. Moreover, 10 distances were marked opposite the exciter at two propagation paths. In the simulations and experiments, signal processing methods were utilized to extract the first arrival packet for calculating amplitude attenuation. The P-wave damping coefficient was modeled using the multi-physical finite element method, and the results of the predictive model were compared with the experimental results. A discussion on the utilization of frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients was conducted to explore potential P-wave attenuation factors and their respective contributions to the overall attenuation. Numerical studies have demonstrated a strong correlation with the experiments when an appropriate level of material damping coefficient was considered. By enhancing the overall comprehension of the P-wave damping coefficient and attenuation characteristics within concrete, damage detection techniques based on P-waves can be improved.

A Correction Method for the Measurement of Frequency-Dependent Attenuation Coefficient With Curved Surface Specimens Using Normal Contact Transducer

The ultrasonic pulse-echo technique has been widely employed for the measurement of the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient in polycrystalline metals. However, the nonuniform thickness of the coupling layer between the transducer piston and the curved surface is inevitable for curved specimens, resulting in a significant overestimation. In addition, the curved surface also affects the diffraction loss caused by the divergence and convergence of ultrasonic beams during the propagation path. In this study, a correction method is proposed for the experimental calculation of the frequency-dependent attenuation with the curved surface components using a contact transducer. First, with the analysis of the nonuniform coupling layer created by the curved surface and transducer piston, the integral over the effective cross-sectional area is introduced to determine the reflection coefficient. Second, an equivalent rectangular transducer sound field model is proposed to calculate the diffraction loss for different curvatures and propagation distances based on the multi-Gaussian beam (MGB) theory. Then, a correction model is established to compensate for the deviation caused by the curved surfaces. To verify the feasibility of the proposed method, two cylindrical bars and five blanks with different curvatures were designed. The experimental results show that the proposed correction method can effectively eliminate the deviation caused by the curved surface and improve the stability of measurement. With the correction, the variation of the attenuation spectrum for the curved specimens is reduced by approximately 5%. This facilitates researchers to better develop and use frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients of materials for further applications.

Joint estimation ofS-wave velocity and damping ratio of the near-surface from active Rayleigh wave surveys processed with a wavefield decomposition approach

SUMMARYThe use of surface wave measurements to derive an S-wave velocity profile of the subsurface has become a widely applied procedure; however, their potential use to reconstruct the S-wave material damping properties of the subsoil is generally overlooked, due to the difficulties in obtaining consistent surface wave amplitude information from field data and translating them into robust estimates of the dissipative properties of the near-surface. In this work, we adapt a wavefield decomposition technique for the processing of elastic surface wave data to the extraction of the complete set of properties of Rayleigh waves generated by a controlled source and propagating in dissipative geomaterials. Retrieved information includes multimodal phase velocity and ellipticity as well as the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient. We exploit the key advantages of wavefield decomposition processing (joint interpretation of multicomponent recordings, coupled estimation of wave propagation parameters, modelling of multiple superimposing modes) to maximize the robustness of the retrieval of Rayleigh wave properties, especially of the dissipative ones. For the subsequent interpretation of Rayleigh wave dispersion, ellipticity and attenuation data we implement a joint Monte Carlo inversion yielding a coupled estimate of S-wave velocity and damping ratio profile for the subsurface; we incorporate a series of geophysical constraints to narrow down the searched parameter space to realistic soil models. We apply this processing and inversion scheme to a bespoke synthetic data set and to a field survey for the characterization of a strong motion station; in both cases, we succeed in retrieving Rayleigh wave multimodal dispersion, ellipticity and attenuation curves. From the inversion of data from the simulated seismogram we are able to reconstruct the properties of the synthetic model. As for the real case, we determine an S-wave velocity and damping ratio model for the soil column below the station, through which we are able to model the inelastic earthquake local response observed at the site. Basing on the results obtained for the real case, we argue that one of the advantages brought by our processing method—the possibility to process active Rayleigh wave data acquired by a 2-D array illuminated by different source positions—may play a key role in allowing to retrieve dissipative properties of the near-surface closer to the material damping of the soil materials, and less influenced by scattering determined by possible discontinuities in the subsurface.

Single-shot attenuation coefficient estimation for ultrasound contrast agents

Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) have broadened the scope of ultrasound imaging and therapeutic applications. One of the parameters of interest when measuring the response of UCAs to ultrasound is their frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient. The estimation of this parameter is relevant for sensing and therapeutic applications, as well as for obtaining the viscoelastic properties of the UCA’s shell. The current practice to obtain this coefficient relies on experimental measurements made both in the presence and absence of UCAs in a target medium. Not only is the microbubble-free reference measurement time-consuming, but it may also not always be feasible for in vivo applications due to lack of an appropriate reflector. To overcome these challenges, we present here a novel approach which estimates the UCA’s attenuation spectra directly from pulse-echo measurements made in the underlying UCA medium, without any reference measurement. Furthermore, despite the non-linear frequency dependency of the UCA’s attenuation profile, our approach can still benefit from a fast linear least-squares based estimation scheme, providing attenuation estimates in a single-shot, which is desirable for implementation in real-time systems. We provide an investigative study, testing the estimator’s performance on various simulated realistic attenuation profiles obtained by varying the shell parameters and the UCA’s size distribution. In all cases, the estimated attenuation profiles were in good agreement with the true ones, with a relative error < 10%. Evaluation on experimental in vitro data shows a relative error < 15%, which further highlights the potential of our approach for fast and accurate UCA’s attenuation estimation.

A Weakly Nonlinear Dynamic Problem for a Model of the Thermoelastic Medium Absorbing a Part of the Acoustic Spectrum

We consider a dynamic problem with a short laser impact on a semi-opaque insulated layer with free borders, accounting for the selective absorption of the acoustic spectrum regions by the media. The behavior of the material is modeled by the extended coupled thermoelasticity formulated in the previous work of the series. Following the experimental results, we introduce a weakly nonlinear correction to the thermal expansion coefficient. Thus, we aim to level out the inability of classical thermoelasticity (CTE) to correctly describe the deformation processes in a solid under a high-frequency impact, yet staying within the framework of linear models. The parameters of the system of novel equations can be tuned to fit the experimentally measured data, i.e., the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient. The series solutions of the extended thermoelasticity problem are compared with those obtained within CTE. In contrast to CTE and in accordance with experiments, the model allows for the simultaneous existence of positive and negative extrema for stress over time.

Inversion of ocean acoustic modal-dispersion and amplitude data for seabed geoacoustic models including attenuation

The long-range acoustic field due to an initial sound source in a shallow-water waveguide can be expressed as the sum of a number of dispersive, propagating modes. Modal-dispersion data (arrival time as a function of frequency), as extracted with warping time-frequency analysis, have been inverted to estimate seabed sediment sound-speed and density profiles. In this work, measurements of modal amplitudes as a function of frequency are combined with modal-dispersion data in a joint (simultaneous) inversion which also provides sensitivity to frequency-dependent sound attenuation coefficients in the sediment layers. Since the source signature (spectrum) is often unknown in practice, the relative amplitudes between modes can be considered as data, or the source spectrum can itself be included as additional unknowns in the inversion. Here, trans-dimensional Bayesian inversion is applied to modal-dispersion and amplitude data to estimate marginal probability profiles for sediment geoacoustic properties, including attenuation. The signal processing and inversion methods are demonstrated using modal-dispersion and amplitude data extracted from acoustic measurements made by a hydrophone-equipped underwater glider during the 2017 Seabed Characterization Experiment (Work supported by the Office of Naval Research).

Ultrasonic Measurement of Bolt Axial Stress Using the Energy Ratio of Multiple Echoes

The reliability and stability of a mechanical system generally counts on the effective detection and control of the stress state of its bolted connections. In this paper, a novel bolt axial stress evaluation method based on the scattering attenuation of polycrystal using the energy ratio of multiple echoes is proposed. Above all, the longitudinal-incident attenuation coefficients for preload cubic crystalline materials in the Rayleigh regime are introduced. In view of the estimation of frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients are prone to suffer from the disturbance of the cylindrical guided waves, the energy ratios of the first two back-end echoes within the signals are applied instead. Subsequently, a stress measurement experiment is conducted to validate the proposed method, in which the accurate energies of the echoes are evaluated using the S transform. The results reveal that, as long as the probe is firmly bonded, the proposed method can achieve better sensitivity and reliability than that of the existing methods using TOF (Time of flight), especially for short or full-threaded bolts.

Geometric and material attenuation of surface acoustic modes in granular media

SUMMARYGranular materials can be used in laboratory-scale physical models to simulate and study seismic wave propagation in various unconsolidated, porous heterogeneous media. This is due to the diverse available grain configurations, in terms of their shape, size and mechanical parameters, which enable the physical and geological modelling of various complex substrates. In this work, an unconsolidated granular medium, made of silica microbeads, featuring a gravity-induced power-law stiffness profile is experimentally tested in a laboratory setting. The objective is to investigate the attenuation mechanisms of vertically polarized seismic waves traveling at the surface of unconsolidated substrates that are characterized by power-law rigidity profiles. Both geometric spreading and material damping due to skeletal dissipation are considered. The understanding of these two attenuation mechanisms is crucial in seismology for properly determining the seismic site response. An electromagnetic shaker is employed to excite the granular medium between 300 and 550 Hz, generating linear modes that are localized near the surface. A densely sampled section is recorded at the surface using a laser vibrometer. The explicit solution of the geometric attenuation law of Rayleigh-like waves in layered media is employed to calculate the geometric spreading function of the vertically polarized surface modes within the granular material. In accordance with recent studies, the dynamics of these small-amplitude multimodal linear waves can be analysed by considering the granular medium as perfectly continuous and elastic. By performing a nonlinear regression analysis on particle displacements, extracted from experimental velocity data, we determine the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients, which account for the material damping. The findings of this work show that laboratory-scale physical models can be used to study the geometric spreading of vertically polarized seismic waves induced by the soil inhomogeneity and characterize the material damping of the medium.

Deriving acoustic properties for perfluoropentane droplets with viscoelastic cellulose nanofiber shell via numerical simulations.

Perfluoropentane droplets with cellulose nanofibers (CNF) shells have demonstrated better stability and easier surface modification as ultrasound contrast agents and drug delivery vehicles. This paper presents a theoretical model assuming a four-phase state "inverse antibubble," with the core filled with gas perfluoropentane surrounded by liquid perfluoropentane. A continuous, incompressible, and viscoelastic stabilizing layer separates the core from the surrounding water. A parametric study is performed to predict the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient, the speed of sound, and the resonance frequency of the droplets which have a mean diameter of 2.47 ± 0.95 μm. Results reveal that the CNF-stabilized perfluoropentane droplets can be modeled in a Rayleigh-Plesset like equation. We conclude that the shell strongly influences the acoustic behavior of the droplets and the resonance frequency largely depends on the initial gas cavity radius. More specifically, the peak attenuation coefficient and peak-to-peak speed of sound decrease with increasing shear modulus, shear viscosity, and shell thickness, while they increase with increasing gas cavity radius and concentration. The resonance frequency increases as shear modulus and shell thickness increase, while it decreases as shear viscosity and gas cavity radius increase. It is worth mentioning that droplet concentration has no effect on the resonance frequency.

Multi-parameter optimization of attenuation data for characterizing grain size distributions and application to bimodal microstructures

In this paper, the effect on the ultrasonic attenuation of the grain size heterogeneity in polycrystals is analyzed. First, new analytical developments allowing the extension of the unified theory of Stanke and Kino to general grain size distributions are presented. It is then shown that one can additively decompose the attenuation coefficient provided that groups of grains are defined. Second, the study is specialized to a bimodal distribution of the grain size for which microstructures are numerically modeled by means of the software Neper. The additive partition of the attenuation coefficient into contributions coming from large and small grains motivates the derivation of an optimization procedure for characterizing the grain size distribution. The aforementioned approach, which is based on a least squares minimization, is at last presented and illustrated on both analytical and numerical attenuation data. It is thus shown that the method provides satisfying approximations of volume fractions of large grains and modal equivalent diameters from the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient.

Investigation of frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients for multiple solids using a reliable pulse-echo ultrasonic measurement technique

A well-established narrowband pulse-echo technique is employed and improved further to investigate the frequency-dependent ultrasonic wave attenuation in various solids. During attenuation coefficient measurement, the diffraction correction is introduced to minimize wave beam-spreading loss, and frequency domain signals are used to minimize both the effects of downward shift of frequency and the error in determining the amplitude of time-domain signals. The frequency-dependent attenuation curves for 19 frequently-used solid materials are obtained using this method in the frequency range 1–25 MHz. It is observed from the measurement results of these materials that the attenuation can vary linearly or nonlinearly with the signal frequency, and the potential impact factors of the attenuation-frequency relationship are discussed. The experimental results presented in this paper is expected to provide a good reference for researchers interested in developing and using frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients of materials that are currently missing in the literature.

Amplitude based segmentation of ultrasound echoes for attenuation coefficient estimation

In vivo ultrasound attenuation coefficient measurements are of interest as they can provide insight into tissue pathology. They are also needed so that measurements of the tissue’s frequency dependent ultrasound backscattering coefficient may be corrected for attenuation. In vivo measurements of the attenuation coefficient are challenging because it has to be estimated from the depth dependent decay of backscatter signals that display a large degree of magnitude variation. In this study we describe and evaluate an improved backscatter method to estimate ultrasound attenuation which is tolerant to the presence of some backscatter inhomogeneity. This employs an automated algorithm to segment and remove atypically strong echoes to lessen the potential bias these may introduce on the attenuation coefficient estimates. The benefit of the algorithm was evaluated by measuring the frequency dependent attenuation coefficient of a gelatine phantom containing randomly distributed cellulose scatterers as a homogeneous backscattering component and planar pieces of cooked leek to provide backscattering inhomogeneities. In the phantom the segmentation algorithm was found to improve the accuracy and precision of attenuation coefficient estimates by up to 80% and 90%, respectively. The effect of the algorithm was then measured invivo using 32 radiofrequency B-mode datasets from the breasts of two healthy female volunteers, producing a 5 to 25% reduction in mean attenuation coefficient estimates and a 30 to 50% reduction in standard deviation of attenuation coefficient across different positions within each breast. The results suggest that the segmentation algorithm may improve the accuracy and precision of attenuation coefficient estimates invivo.

Variations of the Frequency-Dependent Attenuation Coefficient with the Bone Mineral Density and the Architectural Parameters in Bovine Trabecular Bone

The present study aims to investigate the variations of the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient with the bone mineral density (BMD) and two architectural parameters, the bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and the trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), in bovine trabecular bone in vitro. The attenuation coefficient was measured over a frequency range from 0.2 to 0.6 MHz in 22 bovine femoral trabecular bone samples. The frequency variation of the attenuation coefficient was characterized by using a nonlinear power law, α(f) = α0 + α1fn, at frequencies between 0.2 and 0.6 MHz. The parameters α (the attenuation coefficient at 0.4 MHz) and α1 exhibited high correlations with the BMD and the BV/TV and relatively low correlations with the Tb.Th. The parameter α1 was found to have weak correlations with the BMD and the Tb.Th and a very weak correlation with the BV/TV. In contrast, the exponent n showed no correlations with the BMD and the architectural parameters. These results suggest that measurements of the parameters α and α1 in trabecular bone may be useful for the assessment of bone status and osteoporosis. A scattering model based on velocity fluctuations in a binary mixture (cortical matrix and marrow fat) was successfully applied to predict the variations of the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient with the architectural parameters observed in the 22 bone samples.

Measurement of shear wave attenuation coefficient using a contact pulse-echo method with consideration of partial reflection effects

Accurate measurements of the ultrasonic shear wave attenuation coefficient are essential for the quantitative nondestructive evaluation of the microstructure of a material. This work provides an experimental technique for measuring this coefficient using a contact method. The first and second pulse-echo shear wave signals are measured and are used to calculate the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient; in this process, the diffraction and the diffraction-affected partial reflection coefficient are corrected to improve the accuracy of measurement. The diffraction coefficient is calculated from measurements of the shear wave velocity, and the partial reflection coefficient is determined experimentally by using another transducer on the opposite side and taking into account wave diffraction effects. The shear wave attenuation coefficient is determined for samples of different thicknesses, and these results show good agreement over a broadband frequency, thus validating the proposed method. The advantage of discriminating the porosity of additive manufacturing materials using shear wave attenuation is demonstrated, and the practical benefits of accurately measuring the shear wave attenuation coefficient using the proposed method are also discussed.

Ultrasound assessment of the conversion of sound energy into heat in tissue phantoms enriched with magnetic micro- and nanoparticles.

Nowadays, the improvement of ultrasonic hyperthermia therapy is often achieved by adding hard particles to the sonicated medium in order to increase the heating efficiency. The explanation of the phenomenon of ultrasonic heating still requires testing on tissue mimicking materials (TMMs), enriched with particles of different sizes and physical properties. Our goal was to determine, by comparing their quantitative acoustic properties, which TMMs, with magnetic micro- or nanoparticles, convert more ultrasonic energy into heat or which of the particles embedded in the agar gel act as more effective thermal sonosensitizers. We manufactured a pure agar gel and an agar gel with the addition of magnetic micro- or nanoparticles in two proportions of 8 and 16mg/ml. Ultrasound quantitative techniques, the broadband reflection substitution technique and backscattered spectrum analysis were used to characterize the samples by speed of sound (SOS), frequency-dependent attenuation, and backscattering coefficients. The integrated backscattering coefficients were also calculated. The quantitative parameters, scattering, and attenuation coefficients of ultrasound in phantoms with micro- and nanoparticles were estimated. Based on the attenuation and scattering of ultrasound in the samples, the ultrasonic energy absorption, which determines the heating efficiency, was evaluated. Additionally, the temperature increase during sonication of the phantoms by an ultrasonic beam was directly measured using thermocouples. The density of the materials with nanoparticles was higher than for the materials with microparticles with the same fractions of particles. The SOS for all materials ranged from 1489 to 1499m/s. The attenuation in the whole frequency range (3-8MHz) was higher for the materials with nanoparticles than for the materials with microparticles. For the materials with the lower content (8mg/ml) of particles, the attenuation coefficient was 0.2dB/(MHzcm). For the 16mg/ml concentration of nanoparticles and microparticles, the attenuation coefficients were 0.66 and 0.45dB/(MHz cm), respectively. The value of backscattering coefficient in the whole frequency range was greater for the materials with microparticles than for the materials with nanoparticles. The values of the integrated backscattering coefficient were 0.05 and 0.081/m for the materials with nanoparticles and 0.46 and 0.821/m for the materials with microparticles and concentrations of 8 and 16mg/ml, respectively. The rates of temperature increase in the first 3s due to ultrasonic heating were higher for the materials with nanoparticles than for the materials with microparticles. Based on acoustical measurements, we confirmed that all materials can be used as tissue phantoms in the study of ultrasonic hyperthermia, as their properties were in the range of soft tissue properties. We found that the nanoparticle-doped materials had greater attenuation and smaller scattering of ultrasound than the materials with microparticles, so absorption in these materials is greater. Thus, the TMMs with nanoparticles convert more acoustic energy into heat and we conclude that magnetic nanoparticles are more effective thermal sonosensitizers than microparticles. This conclusion is confirmed by direct measurement of the temperature increase in the samples subjected to sonification.

Characterization and Imaging of Lipid-Shelled Microbubbles for Ultrasound-Triggered Release of Xenon.

Xenon (Xe) is a bioactive gas capable of reducing and stabilizing neurologic injury in stroke. The goal of this work was to develop lipid-shelled microbubbles for xenon loading and ultrasound-triggered release. Microbubbles loaded with either xenon (Xe-MB) or xenon and octafluoropropane (Xe-OFP-MB) (9:1 v/v) were synthesized by high-shear mixing. The size distribution and the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient of Xe-MB and Xe-OFP-MB were measured using a Coulter counter and a broadband acoustic attenuation spectroscopy system, respectively. The Xe dose was evaluated using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The total Xe doses in Xe-MB and Xe-OFP-MB were 113.1 ± 13.5 and 145.6 ± 25.5μl per mg of lipid, respectively. Co-encapsulation of OFP increased the total xenon dose, attenuation coefficient, microbubble stability (in an undersaturated solution), and shelf life of the agent. Triggered release of gas payload was demonstrated with 6-MHz duplex Doppler and 220-kHz pulsed ultrasound. These results constitute the first step toward the use of lipid-shelled microbubbles for applications such as neuroprotection in stroke.

Measurement and compensation of frequency-dependent attenuation in ultrasonic backscatter signal from cancellous bone

Ultrasonic backscatter has been gradually applied to the assessment and diagnosis of bone disease. The heavy frequency-dependent attenuation of ultrasound results in weak ultrasonic signals with poor signal-to-noise ratio and serious wave distortions during propagation in cancellous bone. Ultrasonic attenuation measured with the through-transmission method is an averaged result of ultrasonically interrogated tissues (including the soft tissue, cortical bone and cancellous bone). Therefore, the through-transmission measurements can not accurately provide ultrasonic attenuation of cancellous bone of interest. The purpose of this study is to estimate ultrasonic frequency-dependent attenuation with ultrasonic backscatter measurements and to compensate for the frequency-dependent attenuation in an ultrasonic backscatter signal from cancellous bone. <i>In-vitro</i> ultrasonic backscatter and through-transmission measurements are performed on 16 cancellous bone specimens by using 1.0-MHz transducers. Spatial scans are performed in a 10 mm × 10 mm scanned region with a spatial interval of 0.5 mm for each bone specimen. The frequency slope of ultrasonic attenuation is measured with the ultrasonic through-transmission signals serving as a standard value. Four different algorithms (the spectral shift method, the spectral difference method, the spectral log difference method, and the hybrid method) are used to estimate the frequency slope of ultrasonic attenuation coefficient from ultrasonic backscatter signal. The results show that the frequency-dependent attenuation coefficient ranges from 2.3 dB/mm/MHz to 6.2 dB/mm/MHz for the bovine bone specimens. The through-transmission measured frequency slope of ultrasonic attenuation coefficient is (4.14 ± 1.14) dB/mm/MHz (mean ± standard deviation), and frequency slopes of ultrasonic attenuation coefficient are estimated by four backscattering methods to be (3.88 ± 1.15) dB/mm/MHz, (4.00 ± 0.98) dB/mm/MHz, (3.77 ± 0.84) dB/mm/MHz, and (4.05 ± 0.85) dB/mm/MHz, respectively. The estimated frequency-dependent attenuation is significantly correlated with the standard attenuation value (<i>R</i> = 0.78－0.92, <i>p</i> < 0.01), in which the spectral difference method (<i>R</i> = 0.91, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and the hybrid method (<i>R</i> = 0.92, <i>p</i> < 0.01) are more accurate with an estimated error less than 20%. The results prove that it is feasible to measure the frequency-dependent attenuation from ultrasonic backscatter signal of cancellous bone. Based on Fourier transform-inverse Fourier transform, the frequency-dependent attenuation can be compensated.The compensated ultrasonic signals are with significantly improved signal intensity and improved signal-to-noise ratio. This study is conducive to the subsequent ultrasonic backscatter measurement and ultrasonic imaging of cancellous bone.

A Computerized Time Domain and Spectral Analysis System for Acoustic Characterization of Tissue Mimicking Materials

In this study, an integrated computerized system for acoustic characterization of tissue mimicking materials (TMMs) was developed. It is used to determine the longitudinal velocity and acoustic impedance of TMMs for time domain analysis and frequency dependent phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of TMMs for spectral analysis. It utilizes the pulse echo immersion technique and consists of a pulser/receiver generator, a transducer as both transmitter and receiver, a digital oscilloscope and a personal computer installed with a custom-developed program. The program is developed on LabVIEW 2012 platform and its graphical user interface consists of three parts; signal acquisition and selection panel, signal display panel and acoustic properties panel. Its performance is validated using KB-Aerotech Alpha R Series transducer with 5.0 MHz center of frequency and RIGOL DS2202 2 Channel 200 MHz 2 GSa/s digital oscilloscope for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) sample with (1.000 ± 0.050)cm thickness at (24.0 ± 0.1) °C water temperature. Findings indicated that the developed system produced accurate and consistent results less than 2.00% error compared to reference values. The developed computerized system offers a user-friendly interface, fast results display and convenient connection.

Regional variation of coda Q in Kopili fault zone of northeast India and its implications

Kopili fault has been experiencing higher seismic and tectonic activity during the recent years. These kind of active tectonics can be inspected by examining coda-wave attenuation and its dependence with frequency. Exploiting single back-scattering model, we have endeavored to measure coda Q and its associated parameters such as frequency dependent factor (n) and attenuation coefficient (γ) covering seven lapse-time windows spanning from 30 to 90s and central frequencies 1.5, 3.5, 6, 9 and 12Hz. The average estimated values of QC increases with frequency and lapse time window from 114 at frequency 1.5Hz to 1563 at frequency 12Hz for 30s window length, and from 305 at frequency 1.5Hz to 2135 at frequency 12Hz for 90s window length. The values of Q0 and n are also estimated for the entire Kopili fault zone. For this study region, the Q0 values vary from 62 to 348 and n varies from 0.57 to 1.51 within the frequency range 1.5 to 12Hz. Furthermore, depth variation of attenuation of this region reveals that there is velocity anomaly at depth 210–220km as there arises sharp changes in γ and n which are supported by available data, reported by other researcher for this region. Finally, we have tried to separate the intrinsic and scattering attenuation for this area. It is observed that the entire region is dominated by mainly scattering attenuation, but we can see an increase in intrinsic attenuation with depths in two stations namely TZR and BKD. Furthermore, the obtained results are comparable with the available global data.

Influence of Tissue Microstructure on Shear Wave Speed Measurements in Plane Shear Wave Elastography: A Computational Study in Lossless Fibrotic Liver Media.

Shear wave elastography (SWE) has been used to measure viscoelastic properties for characterization of fibrotic livers. In this technique, external mechanical vibrations or acoustic radiation forces are first transmitted to the tissue being imaged to induce shear waves. Ultrasonically measured displacement/velocity is then utilized to obtain elastographic measurements related to shear wave propagation. Using an open-source wave simulator, k-Wave, we conducted a case study of the relationship between plane shear wave measurements and the microstructure of fibrotic liver tissues. Particularly, three different virtual tissue models (i.e., a histology-based model, a statistics-based model, and a simple inclusion model) were used to represent underlying microstructures of fibrotic liver tissues. We found underlying microstructures affected the estimated mean group shear wave speed (SWS) under the plane shear wave assumption by as much as 56%. Also, the elastic shear wave scattering resulted in frequency-dependent attenuation coefficients and introduced changes in the estimated group SWS. Similarly, the slope of group SWS changes with respect to the excitation frequency differed as much as 78% among three models investigated. This new finding may motivate further studies examining how elastic scattering may contribute to frequency-dependent shear wave dispersion and attenuation in biological tissues.