THE GENERATION OF A STONELEY WAVE AT THE END OF A FLUID-LOADED PLATE BY AN INCIDENT BOUNDED BEAM

This study shows, on the basis of a mode theory, that as a Gaussian ul trasonic beam strikes the edge of a thick plate immersed in a liquid, a Stoneley wave is generated along the liquid/solid interface. As expe cted, the largest amplitude for the excited Stoneley wave is obtained for normal incidence at the edge but a secondary maximum appears at Ra yleigh angle incidence. In this way, it is proved theoretically that t he conversion phenomenon of a Stoneley wave into a generalized Rayleig h wave at the extremity of a fluid loaded thick plate is reversible, a s was observed experimentally by Tinel [Ph.D. thesis, Universite Le Ha vre, France (1991)]. (C) 1997 Acoustical Society of America.