Phase Discontinuities Research Articles

Turbulent Characteristics and Air Entrainment Patterns in Breaking Surge Waves

Breaking surge waves are highly turbulent three-dimensional (3D) flows, which occur when the water flow encounters a sudden change in depth or velocity. The 3D turbulent structures across a breaking surge are induced by the velocity gradient across the surge and phase discontinuity at the front. This paper examined the turbulent structures in breaking surge waves with Froude numbers of 1.71 and 2.13 by investigating the air entrainment and perturbation patterns across the surge front. A combination of the Volume Of Fluid (VOF) method and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) was utilized to capture air entrainment and turbulent structures simultaneously. The 3D nature of the vortical structures was simulated by implementing a spanwise periodic boundary. The water surface perturbation and air concentration profiles were extracted, and the averaged air concentration profiles obtained from the numerical simulations were consistent with laboratory observations reported in the literature. The linkage between turbulent kinetic energy distribution and air entrainment was also explored in this paper. Finally, using quadrant analysis and the Q-criterion, this paper examined the role of the spanwise perturbations in the development of turbulent structures in the surge front.

An S-band zero-IF SFCW through-the-wall radar for range, respiration rate, and DOA estimation

This study presents a Zero-IF structured Stepped Frequency Continuous Wave (SFCW) radar system for range, respiration rate, and DOA estimation of the targets behind the walls. The radar hardware is a combination of SFCW and Uniform Linear Array (ULA) techniques. Four main improvements are done in signal processing. Averaging Delay Line Cancellation (ADLC) is proposed for moving-target indication. As a post-processing solution to the disruptive effects, a self-acting SVD-based algorithm is offered. The displacement signals of the targets are obtained after applying an additional phase extraction and wavelet-based filtering to lessen the phase discontinuities and noises. The Direction of Arrival (DOA) is estimated over the positive and negative range profiles of two separate antenna pairs. The median of these four angle values is used as the final DOA estimation. The performance of the system is tested with more than 150 experiments and compared with state-of-the-art studies.

Wideband reconfigurable signal generation based on recirculating frequency-shifting using an optoelectronic loop.

A novel photonic-assisted reconfigurable wideband signal generator for linearly frequency-modulated (LFM) signals generation is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. A frequency-shifting recirculating optoelectronic (FSRO) loop is employed to shift and stitch a seed signal repeatedly in the time and the frequency domains through feedback modulation. After experiencing multiple recirculation, a time duration and bandwidth extended LFM signal with a quadratically varying phase of no phase discontinuity is generated. By simply changing loop parameters, the time duration, the bandwidth and the central frequency of the generated LFM signals are adjustable. Although the phase noise will deteriorate during the recirculation, the generated LFM signals with an increased time bandwidth product (TBWP) are still suitable for practical radar applications. A proof-of-concept experiment is carried out. The generation of LFM signals in C and X bands with a TBWP increased by a maximum factor of 196 are achieved. Microwave imaging of rotational targets based on the generated LFM signal is also demonstrated.

Phase unmixing of TerraSAR-X staring spotlight interferograms in building scale for PS height and deformation

Staring spotlight images with a spatial resolution of up to tens of centimeters are good data sources for urban applications including displacement mapping. However, phase discontinuities, layover, and shadowing effect are also associated with staring spotlight interferograms, adding to the difficulties in height estimation and spatial phase unwrapping. The scattering mechanism of the staring spotlight images in the urban environment is complicated, thus it is difficult to simulate and remove the reference height of staring spotlight interferograms directly. In addition, global spatial phase unwrapping networks tend to smooth phase discontinuities. With the aim of implementing height estimation and phase unwrapping for TerraSAR-X Staring Spotlight interferograms, a workflow for phase unmixing of TerraSAR-X staring spotlight interferograms is proposed in this paper. The PS height is estimated in the baseline domain rather than the spatial domain. Taking into account the length and height change of each connection, the spatial phase unwrapping network is adjusted and segmented into isolated networks. The connected components of the adjusted spatial phase unwrapping network can be identified using graph theory. Spatial phase unwrapping is implemented in individual networks. The unfolded height phase is separated from the unwrapped phase, and the remaining phase is deformation dominated. Compared with the traditional global spatial phase unwrapping method, this study demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed least squares parameter search and graph partition based workflow in urban area, for phase unmixing of TerraSAR-X staring spotlight interferograms in building scale for PS height and deformation, as evidenced by external LiDAR DSM and temperature records.

Modulation Linearization Technique for FM/CW SAR Image Processing Using Range Migration

Linear FMCW radar suffers from impairments in range and range rate if there are errors in the modulation rate or phase discontinuities. Often, this is a result of a nonlinearity of the voltage-controlled oscillator that is in the source of the transmit and receive local oscillator. The nonlinearity can be corrected at the source by using a nonlinear control voltage or by processing the received beat frequency. Any signal processing using the later method leads to computation time and energy costs, which can be considerable in some applications. When the range migration algorithm using the Stolt Transform is used for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image processing, the autofocus linearization technique described here costs nothing in additional hardware or computation time.

Recognizing fractional orbital angular momentum using feed forward neural network

Fractional vortex beam (FVB) possessing helical phase can be applied in the shift-keying communication due to its fractional orbital angular momentum (FOAM) mode, which theoretically allows an infinite increase of the transmitted capacity. However, the discontinuity of spiral phase makes FVB more likely to be disturbed in turbulence environment, and the precise measurement of distorted FOAM modes is crucial for practical FOAM-based communication application. Here, we proposed a FOAM mode recognition method with feedforward neural network (FNN). Employing the diffraction preprocessing of a two-dimensional fork grating, the original optical features of FVBs can be extended along the far-field diffraction order, endowing FNN more feature information and saving calculation time, and enlarging the detection range to conjugate FOAM modes. The simulation results show that the 9-layer FNN can identify FOAM mode with interval of 0.1 with an accuracy of 99.1% under the turbulences of Cn2=1×10-14m-2/3 and Δz=10m. Furthermore, we experimentally constructed a 102-ary FOAM shift-keying communication link to transmit gray image, and the signals are successfully demodulated by the FNN model with the pixel-error-rate of 0.07160. It is anticipated that the proposed FNN-based FOAM recognition method will break the limitation of precision measurement under turbulence environment in practical FOAM applications.

A numerical study of the expansion of a gas-particles mixture with axial symmetry

The article deals with the study of new phenomena that accompany the free or wall-bounded expansion of a nonequilibrium in terms of velocities and temperatures mixture of gas and particles of various sizes with axial symmetry. The dynamics of the gas suspension is considered in the multifluid model of a calorically perfect inviscid gas and incompressible monodisperse spherical particles. The Eulerian approach is used to describe the motion of each phase of the mixture. For numerical simulation, a hybrid large-particle method of the second order of approximation in space and time with nonlinear correction of artificial viscosity, an additive combination of fluxes, and a semi-implicit scheme for calculating interfacial friction and heat transfer are implemented. The efficiency and accuracy of the method for a two-dimensional problem with axial symmetry are confirmed by comparing the solutions obtained in a one-dimensional formulation in a cylindrical coordinate system. In the case of small particles (with a diameter of d = 0.1 µm), the relaxation time of the phases is much less than the characteristic time of the problem and the gas and particles mixture behaves as a homogeneous medium similar to the gas flow. For sufficiently large particles (d = 20 µm), the effects of the difference in the inertia of the phases and nonequilibrium, associated with the mismatch of the velocities and temperatures of the gas and particles, are manifested. These effects cause the splitting of the initial interface of the media into a contact discontinuity in the gaseous phase and the surface between the suspension and the pure gas (a jump in porosity). At subsequent moments, the flow pattern changes to the opposite, which is explained by the deceleration of the gas, the appearance of a reverse flow to the center of expansion due to rarefaction in the vicinity of the axis of symmetry, and the formation of a secondary shock wave. Then there are fluctuations with a change in the relative position of the phase boundaries. In this case, fractures of the gas contact trajectories (the break of the first derivative) are observed, which are associated with the passage of the shock wave reflected from the wall and the plane of symmetry. Over time, due to baroclinic instability (the mismatch of density and pressure gradients), vortex structures begin to appear at the interface boundaries. In addition, in the case of expansion of the gas suspension in a closed volume, a complex shock-wave structure is formed, due to multiple reflections of shock waves from the walls and their interaction with the contact surfaces. The practical significance of the results obtained is to identify the fundamental physical effects that should be taken into account when setting and solving problems in chemical technologies, pneumatic transport, and other areas. In addition, the numerical solutions can be useful in testing the resolution of other difference schemes for reproducing the vortex instability of contact boundaries and shock wave structures in the flows of relaxing gas suspensions.

Risk factors for early-phase clozapine discontinuation: A nested case-control study.

Safe and efficient methods for introducing clozapine to patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) are needed. We investigated risk factors for clozapine discontinuation in the early phase of its introduction. We conducted a nested case-control study at 14 psychiatric hospitals in Chiba, Japan. Data from pre-registered TRS patients were collected at 7 time points within 12 weeks before and after the start of clozapine introduction. We examined the demographic data, prior and concomitant psychotropic drugs, strategies for switching from prior antipsychotics, and blood test and Global Assessment of Function results. The Clinical Global Impression-Severity Scale was retrospectively scored at 12 weeks before and after clozapine introduction. Of 228 patients, clozapine treatment was continued in 213 (93.4 %) and discontinued in 15 (6.6 %) patients within 12 weeks. Clinical symptoms were improved to mild symptoms with a response rate of 14.9 %. Prior antipsychotics and concomitant psychotropic drugs except for mood stabilizers were significantly decreased. Histories of smoking (OR = 3.32, 95 %CI: 1.11-9.93) and antipsychotic treatment at chlorpromazine-equivalent doses <1200 mg within the past 5 years (OR = 3.93, 95 %CI: 1.24-12.50), but not antipsychotic switching strategy, were associated with clozapine discontinuation. Eosinophilia was the most frequent reason for discontinuation (n = 3, 20 %) and was associated with concomitant valproate at 4 weeks after the introduction. Clozapine is an effective option for TRS patients (especially those treated with higher doses of prior antipsychotics) in Japan. Clinicians should be cautious about concomitant valproate in the early phase of clozapine introduction due to a high risk of eosinophilia.

Broadband continuous beam-steering with time-modulated metasurfaces in the near-infrared spectral regime

A time-modulated metasurface integrated with indium-tin-oxide (ITO) can dynamically manipulate the scattered light by imparting dispersionless phase discontinuities with 2π span on wavefronts of the generated sidebands. However, maximal frequency conversion efficiency is restricted to a narrow bandwidth at the vicinity of the resonant wavelength due to the dispersive nature of light–matter interactions in such ITO-integrated metasurfaces. Herein, a multiwavelength time-modulated meta-molecule is numerically investigated, which consists of four metal–insulator–metal meta-atoms that are judiciously designed to support four resonant wavelengths at the near-infrared regime. The metasurface platform allows for application of four sets of independent radio-frequency signals to each meta-molecule, which are optimized to excite the output spectra with dominant first-order up-modulated sidebands. Individual modulation of each meta-atom leads to efficient sideband generation at resonant wavelength corresponding to the biased meta-atom. Nevertheless, the conversion efficiency decays rapidly at off-resonant wavelengths. Concurrent modulation of all four meta-atoms within the meta-molecule configuration offers a pathway to simultaneously generate dominant sidebands at all resonant wavelengths while enhancing the frequency conversion efficiency at inter-resonant wavelengths. As the potential application, beam-steering at the up-modulated sideband by both individually and simultaneously biased meta-atoms is demonstrated. It is revealed that simultaneous modulation enables continuous dynamic light deflection over a broad spectrum spanning on 1–1.8 μm, while the steering angle of the wavelengths changes in the range of 34°–85°. Broadband continuous beam-scanning is a non-trivial task that cannot be accomplished by a quasi-static metasurface relying on dispersive resonant phase shift, which hinders simultaneous implementation of linear phase gradients at all incident wavelengths.

Lens-free digital holographic microscopy for cell imaging and tracking by Fresnel diffraction from a phase discontinuity

In this Letter, a very simple, stable, and portable lensless digital holographic (DH) microscopy method is presented relying on the Fresnel diffraction (FD) of light from a phase discontinuity (PD). A phase plate in the transmission or a physical step in the reflection can be employed in the path of the divergent beam of a coherent light source as a component imposing the PD. The recorded diffraction pattern in the vicinity of the PD is a hologram produced by off-axis overlapping of two diffracted waves in both sides of the boundary region with adjustable fringe modulation. To validate the method, measurements are performed on the amplitude and phase specimens as well as on the dynamic processes of water evaporation and 3D tracking of floating cells. A reflective configuration of FD from a physical step can be used as a powerful platform for lensless DH microscopy using high-energy electromagnetic radiation, e.g., x-ray and UV sources for the high-resolution imaging of moving samples.

Effect of friction stir process on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of AZ91 Mg alloy

Friction stir process (FSP) has been utilized to modify the surface microstructure of AZ91 alloy in three levels of rotation speeds and pass numbers. Microstructural and electrochemical analyses were performed on as-received and FSPed alloys, and their correlation was investigated. Optical and electron microscopy showed a significant grain refinement, accompanied by aluminum's dissolution into the matrix phase. The highest aluminum over-saturation occurred at 1200 rpm, which led to eutectic phase discontinuity at the grain boundaries. Additionally, the basal plane texture was studied using pole figures of the surface, which revealed extreme basal texture after the FSP. Utilization of X-ray diffraction (XRD) to calculate the residual stress before and after the FSP indicated substantial residual stress build-up. Accumulation of the eutectic phase at the grain boundaries led to the shift of the open circuit potential (OCP) toward more positive values in a 3.5% NaCl solution. Moreover, according to the electrochemical analyses, the corrosion rate increased after the FSP. At 1200 rpm of the rotation speed, more severe aluminum dissolution into the matrix phase increased surface layer resistance to breakdown. It was also observed that the accumulation of higher eutectic phases at the grain boundaries induces more galvanic microcells, which caused a drop of charge transfer resistance.

The effect of water on the post-spinel transition and evidence for extreme water contents at the bottom of the transition zone

The transition of ringwoodite to bridgmanite and periclase (the post-spinel transition) is a strong control on the 660 phase discontinuity and the boundary between the transition zone and the lower mantle. The transition zone may contain significant amounts of water and thus the effect of water on the post-spinel transition must be known to correctly determine its properties. In this paper we examine the transition of ringwoodite to bridgmanite and periclase in both dry and wet conditions using density functional theory (DFT). In the dry case we calculate a high negative Clapeyron slope (−3.19±0.19 MPa/K at 1873 K). We also find that the Clapeyron slope is significantly nonlinear with temperature and much lower at 1000 K (−1.31 MPa/K) or if determined by linear interpolation from 1000 K (−2.37 MPa/K). The addition of water causes a large broadening of the transition through the development of a phase loop. Seismic studies suggest that the 660 km discontinuity is narrower than 2 km. For this to be the case our results suggest that the water content at the bottom of the transition zone needs to be either less than ∼700 ppm or, alternatively, above ∼8000 ppm (assuming an effective transition width near the maximum transition width). In the latter case this is above the saturation limit for bridgmanite and so will be accompanied by the production of a free water phase/hydrous melt. The hydration of ringwoodite also causes the onset of the transition to deepen with 1 wt% water increasing the depth of the transition by about 8 km. This is relatively small compared to seismically observed variations in the 660 km discontinuity of around 35 km and so water alone cannot account for the observed 660 km discontinuity topography. Water causes no substantial changes to the Clapeyron slope of the transition, so the 660 km topography could be explained by thermal variations of ∼500 K.

Abnormal phase discontinuity of alpha- and theta-frequency oscillations in schizophrenia

BackgroundSchizophrenia patients have abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) power over multiple frequency bands, even at rest, though the primary neural generators and spatiotemporal dynamics of these abnormalities are largely unknown. Disturbances in the precise synchronization of oscillations within and across cortical sources may underlie abnormal resting-state EEG activity in schizophrenia patients. MethodsA novel assessment method was applied to identify the independent contributing sources of resting-state EEG and assess the phase discontinuity in schizophrenia patients (N = 148) and healthy subjects (N = 143). ResultsA network of 11 primary contributing sources of scalp EEG was identified in both groups. Schizophrenia patients showed abnormal elevations of EEG power in the temporal region in the theta, beta, and gamma-bands, as well as the posterior cingulate gyrus in the delta, theta, alpha, and beta-bands. The higher theta-band power in the middle temporal gyrus was significantly correlated with verbal memory impairment in patients. The peak frequency of alpha was lower in patients in the cingulate and temporal regions. Furthermore, patients showed a higher rate of alpha phase discontinuity in the temporal region as well as a lower rate of theta phase discontinuity in the temporal and posterior cingulate regions. ConclusionsAbnormal rates of phase discontinuity of alpha- and theta-band, abnormal elevations of EEG power in multiple bands, and a lower peak frequency of alpha were identified in schizophrenia patients at rest. Clarification of the mechanistic substrates of abnormal phase discontinuity may clarify core pathophysiologic abnormalities of schizophrenia and contribute to the development of novel biomarkers for therapeutic interventions.

Burst Overlap Coregistration for Sentinel-1 TOPS DInSAR Ice Velocity Measurements

The application of Sentinel-1 interferometry to ice velocity measurements has until recently been limited by the significant horizontal scene motion associated with ice flow, which causes phase discontinuities (and associated unwrapping problems) at burst boundaries in Terrain Observation by Progressive Scans (TOPS) interferograms. Coregistering with a multiyear averaged external velocity mosaic based on offset-tracking can account for the bulk of the ice motion, but residual discontinuities sometimes remain, for example, due to seasonal variations in the ice velocity, or due to error sources such as azimuth shifts caused by ionospheric propagation. The presented method extends the external velocity coregistration with a local, spatially varying, coregistration in the burst overlap regions. This is based on the extended spectral diversity principle, which can only be applied in the overlap regions, but offers superior accuracy and resolution compared with traditional coregistration methods. The method considerably reduces phase discontinuities at burst boundaries, and potential new phase discontinuities at the overlap region edges are suppressed by an azimuth tapering of the applied coregistration shifts. An example scene is presented, and the phase discontinuities before and after application of the method are evaluated. The method is seen to remove phase discontinuities, with no adverse effects.

Spatial phase discontinuity at the center of moving cardiac spiral waves

BackgroundPrecise analysis of cardiac spiral wave (SW) dynamics is essential for effective arrhythmia treatment. Although the phase singularity (PS) point in the spatial phase map has been used to determine the cardiac SW center for decades, quantitative detection algorithms that assume PS as a point fail to trace complex and rapid PS dynamics. Through a detailed analysis of numerical simulations, we examined our hypothesis that a boundary of spatial phase discontinuity induced by a focal conduction block exists around the moving SW center in the phase map. MethodIn a numerical simulation model of a 2D cardiac sheet, three different types of SWs (short wavelength; long wavelength; and low excitability) were induced by regulating ion channels. Discontinuities of all boundaries among adjacent cells at each instance were evaluated by calculating the phase bipolarity (PB). The total amount of phase transition (PTA) in each cell during the study period was evaluated. ResultsPivoting, drifting, and shifting SWs were observed in the short-wavelength, low-excitability, and long-wavelength models, respectively. For both the drifting and shifting cases, long high-PB edges were observed on the SW trajectories. In all cases, the conduction block (CB) was observed at the same boundaries. These were also identical to the boundaries in the PTA maps. ConclusionsThe analysis of the simulations revealed that the conduction block at the center of a moving SW induces discontinuous boundaries in spatial phase maps that represent a more appropriate model of the SW center than the PS point.

Design and Implementation of a Re-Configurable Versatile Direct Digital Synthesis-Based Pulse Generator

Direct digital synthesis (DDS) technology has replaced many traditional analog circuit functions. The frequency, amplitude, and phase of a waveform generated using DDS can be precisely controlled. It is possible to achieve remarkably high-frequency resolution, fast frequency switching, and modulation can be easily introduced in a DDS generator. However, pulse waveform generated using DDS requires re-loading of the pulse waveform in the waveform memory to vary the pulse parameters, which causes phase discontinuity, requires prohibitively large memory to generate pulses with narrow widths and long periods, and suffers from trigger uncertainty of up to 1 clock period when the pulse waveform is triggered by an external event. Moreover, it is not possible to modulate the width and delay of the pulse stored in the waveform memory. This article describes a fully functional, low complexity, low cost, memory less, parallel, and DDS-based pulse waveform generator implemented in a low-cost field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) where pulse parameters such as amplitude, period, width, rise time, fall time, and delay can all be varied without any glitches or phase discontinuity, where the amplitude, frequency and phase, as well as period, width and delay of the pulse can be modulated by an internally generated or external modulating signal and where it is possible to trigger the generation of the pulse or burst of pulses by an external event where the time between the trigger event and the pulse output is fixed.

Minor surface displacement caused by the Kumamoto earthquake detected by DInSAR

The LC-InSAR map by DInSAR showed a large number of ‘phase discontinuous lines' at locations other than the main trace of the surface rapture caused by the Kumamoto earthquakes. On the Line of this ‘phase discontinuous line', many places where minute surface displacement was observed were found. Most of the ‘phase discontinuity lines' are thought to represent minor surface displacements caused by the Kumamoto earthquake. It is considered that such a minor displacement was difficult to find out only by the field survey after the earthquake because the displacement was too small. It was confirmed that the LC-InSAR map is effective for detecting minute surface displacement.

7T MR Thermometry technique for validation of system-predicted SAR with a home-built radiofrequency wrist coil.

A 7T magnetic resonance thermometry (MRT) technique was developed to validate the conversion factor between the system-measured transmitted radiofrequency (RF) power into a home-built RF wrist coil with the system-predicted SAR value. The conversion factor for a new RF coil developed for ultra high magnetic field MRI systems is used to ensure that regulatory limits on RF energy deposition in tissue, specifically the local 10g-averaged specific absorption rate (SAR10g ), are not exceeded. MRT can be used to validate this factor by ensuring that MRT-measured SAR values do not exceed those predicted by the system. A 14-cm diameter high-pass birdcage RF coil was built to image the wrist at 7T. A high spatial and temporal resolution dual-echo gradient echo MRT technique, incorporating quasi-simultaneous RF-induced heating and temperature change measurements using the proton resonance frequency method, was developed. The technique allowed for high-temperature resolution measurements (~±0.1°C) to be performed every 20s over a 4-min heating period, with high spatial resolution (2.56mm3 voxel size) and avoiding phase discontinuities arising from severe magnetic susceptibility-induced B0 inhomogeneities. Magnetic resonance thermometry was performed on a phantom made from polyvinylpyrrolidone to mimic the dielectric properties of muscle tissue at 297.2MHz. Temperature changes measured with MRT and four fiber optic temperature sensors embedded in the phantom were compared. Electromagnetic simulations of the coil and phantom were developed and validated via comparison of simulated and measured B1 + maps in the phantom. The position of maximum SAR within the coil was determined from simulations, and MRT was performed within a wrist-sized piece of meat positioned at that SAR hotspot location. MRT-measured and system-predicted SAR values for the phantom and meat were compared. Temperature change measurements from MRT matched closely to those from the fiber optic temperature sensors. The simulations were validated via close correlation between the simulated and MRT-measured B1 + and SAR maps. Using a coil conversion factor of 2kg-1 , MRT-measured point-SAR values did not exceed the system-predicted SAR10g in either the uniform phantom or in the piece of meat mimicking the wrist located at the SAR hotspot location. A highly accurate MRT technique with high spatial and temporal resolution was developed. This technique can be used to ensure that system-predicted SAR values are not exceeded in practice, thereby providing independent validation of SAR levels delivered by a newly built RF wrist coil. The MRT technique is readily generalizable to perform safety evaluations for other RF coils at 7T.

Subcortical neural generators of the envelope-following response in sleeping children: A transfer function analysis

Multiple auditory structures, from cochlea to cortex, phase-lock to the envelope of complex stimuli. The relative contributions of these structures to the human surface-recorded envelope-following response (EFR) are still uncertain. Identification of the active contributor(s) is complicated by the fact that even the simplest two-tone (f1&f2) stimulus, targeting its (f2−f1) envelope, evokes additional linear (f1&f2) and non-linear (2f1−f2) phase-locked components as well as a transient auditory brainstem response (ABR). Here, we took advantage of the generalized primary tone phase variation method to isolate each predictable component in the time domain, allowing direct measurements of onset latency, duration and phase discontinuity values from which the involved generators were inferred. Targeting several envelope frequencies (0.22–1 kHz), we derived the EFR transfer functions along a vertical vertex-to-neck and a horizontal earlobe-to-earlobe recording channels, yielding respectively EFR-V and EFR-H waveforms. Subjects (N= 30) were sleeping children with normal electrophysiological thresholds and normal oto-acoustic emissions. Both EFR-H and EFR-V phase-locking values (PLV) transfer functions had a low-pass profile, EFR-V showing a lower cut-off frequency than EFR-H. We also computed the frequency-latency relationships of both EFRs onset latencies. EFR-H data fitted a power-law function incorporating a frequency-dependent traveling wave delay and a fixed one amounting to 1.2 ms. The fitted function nicely fell within five published estimations of the latency-frequency function of the ABR wave-I, thus pointing to a cochlear nerve origin. The absence of phase discontinuity and overall response durations that were equal to that of the stimulus indicated no contribution from a later generator. The recording of an entirely similar EFR-H response in a patient who had severe brainstem encephalitis with a normal, isolated, ABR wave-I but complete absence of later waves, further substantiated a cochlear nerve origin. Modeling of the EFR-V latency-frequency functions indicated a fixed transport time of 2 ms with respect to EFR-H onset, suggesting a cochlear nucleus (CN) origin, here also, without indication for multiple generators. Other features of the EFR-V response pointing to the CN were, at least for the EFR frequency below the cut-off values of the transfer functions, higher PLVs coupled with increased harmonic distortion. Such a behavior has been described in the so-called highly-synchronized neurons of the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN). The present study compellingly demonstrated the advantage of isolating the EFR in the temporal domain so as to extract detailed spectro-temporal parameters that, combined with orthogonal recording channels, shed new light on the involved neural generators.

The M Waves Emitted by an Expanding Phase Boundary Create a “Lacuna”

Abstract The M waves introduced by Burridge and Willis (1969, “The Self-Similar Problem of the Expanding Crack in an Anisotropic Solid,” Math. Proc. Cambridge Philos. Soc., 66(2), pp. 443–468) are emitted by the surface of a self-similarly expanding elliptical crack, and they give Rayleigh waves at the corresponding crack speed. In the analysis for the self-similarly expanding spherical inclusion with phase change (dynamic Eshelby problem), the M waves are related to the waves obtained on the basis of the dynamic Green’s function containing the contribution from the latest wavelets emitted by the expanding boundary of phase discontinuity, and they satisfy the Hadamard jump conditions for compatibility and linear momentum across the moving phase boundary of discontinuity. In the interior of the expanding inclusion, they create a “lacuna” with zero particle velocity by canceling the effect of the P and S. It is shown that the “lacuna” and Eshelby properties are also valid for a Newtonian fluid undergoing phase change in a self-similarly expanding ellipsoidal region of a fluid with different viscosity.