Experimental investigation of universal parametric correlators using a vibrating plate

The parametric variation of the eigenfrequencies of a chaotic plate is meas ured and compared to random matrix theory using recently calculated univers al correlation functions. The sensitivity of the flexural modes of the plat e to pressure is used to isolate this symmetry class of modes and simplify the data analysis. The size of the plate is used as the external parameter and the eigenvalues are observed to undergo one or two oscillations in the experimental window. The correlations of the eigenvalues are in good agreem ent with statistical measures such as the parametric number variance, the v elocity autocorrelation, and the intra level velocity autocorrelation deriv ed for the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble of random matrix theory. Our result s show that the theory can be also applied to wave systems other than quant um systems. [S1063-651X(99)513 10-X].