Laser Excitation of a Fracture Source for Elastic Waves

Journal Article · Fri Dec 30 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.107.275501· OSTI ID:21612591

Blum, Thomas E; Wijk, Kasper van; Snieder, Roel; Willis, Mark E ^[1]

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1. Physical Acoustics Laboratory and Department of Geosciences, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725 (United States)

We show that elastic waves can be excited at a fracture inside a transparent sample by focusing laser light directly onto this fracture. The associated displacement field, measured by a laser interferometer, has pronounced waves that are diffracted at the fracture tips. We confirm that these are tip diffractions from direct excitation of the fracture by comparing them with tip diffractions from scattered elastic waves excited on the exterior of the sample. Being able to investigate fractures - in this case in an optically transparent material - via direct excitation opens the door to more detailed studies of fracture properties in general.

• OSTI ID: 21612591
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 107, Issue 27; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.275501; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DIFFRACTION
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
FRACTURES
INTERFEROMETERS
LASERS
WAVE PROPAGATION
COHERENT SCATTERING
FAILURES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
SCATTERING