COCHLEAR MODELS AND MINIMUM-PHASE

In this paper the extent to which the response of a linear cochlear mo del has the ''minimum-phase'' property is discussed, along with tile t opic of what it should mean when experiments confirm or deny the valid ity of minimum-phase in the response of the actual cochlea. This paper shows that short-wave, long-wave and three-dimensional cochlear model s of the ''classical'' type, in which the operation of the cochlear pa rtition is described by a local function (namely, a driving-point impe dance) that produces a cochlear map (from frequency to place), have a response that is minimum-phase, or very close to minimum-phase. Conver sely, when the response is found to be non-minimum-phase, the best-fit ting model cannot be a classical one. (C) 1997 Acoustical Society of A merica. [S0001-4966(97)03012-9].