HARMONIC THERMAL WAVES IN MATERIALS WITH THERMAL MEMORY

A topic of great present interest is the investigation of heat transfe r in materials with memory (HTMM). The correct description of differen t experimental heat transfer phenomena (in liquid helium, in dielectri cs at helium temperature, in organic liquids; etc.)is conducted on the framework of HTMM theory. Also, new physical effects have been predic ted in HTMM theory. The most important problem for HTMM theory and pra ctical applications is analyzed-the propagation of harmonic thermal wa ves in an infinite plate from material with thermal memory. It is show n that in such materials there are appreciable effects produced by the interference of thermal waves, similar to multibeam interference of e lectromagnetic waves in optics. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics .