CAVITATION EROSION AND SONOLUMINESCENCE AT HIGH HYDROSTATIC PRESSURES

The erosion activity on aluminium foils and the sonoluminescence inten sity have been measured by continuous ultrasound irradiation at 24.1 k Hz in distilled water with different ambient hydrostatic pressure from 1 atm to about 12 atm. The erosion rate as a function of the hydrosta tic pressure reaches a maximum value after which it decreases until it disappears. The erosion rate and sonoluminescence intensity dependenc ies on p(h) show similar behaviour indicating a strong correlation bet ween the basic mechanisms involved. The marked correlation between the thresholds of the phenomena and between their intensities, suggests s onoluminescence as a potential monitor of erosion activity.