Sonoluminescence: Coupling to an Applied Magnetic Field

TL;DR

This paper explores how an applied magnetic field influences sonoluminescing bubbles, finding a quadratic relationship with forcing pressures and suggesting indirect coupling mechanisms due to energy constraints.

Contribution

It identifies the quadratic dependence of sonoluminescence stability on magnetic field strength and proposes potential indirect coupling mechanisms.

Findings

Strong quadratic dependence between forcing pressure and magnetic field amplitude.

Coupling energies are less than 1% of bubble collapse energy.

Indicates indirect influence of magnetic fields on bubble dynamics.

Abstract

We investigate several means of coupling between a sonoluminescing bubble and an applied magnetic field. Recent experiments show a strong quadratic dependence between the forcing pressures required for stable sonoluminescence and magnetic field amplitude. However, all coupling mechanisms calculated here for comparable magnetic fields involve energies no more than one percent the mechanical energy of bubble collapse. We conclude that the applied field must influence the system though its effect on some parameter which the bubble motion depends upon very sensitively. A few such mechanisms are suggested.