Dynamics of a small bubble in a compressible fluid

An efficient (simplified) method for solving problems of spherically symmet ric dynamics of a small gas bubble in a compressible fluid is proposed. The method is based on the joint use of the full problem statement (the gas dy namics equations for the gas and the fluid) and its relevant simplification s. Some approximate statements are discussed. In the proposed method, the r arefaction and compression of the gas during the slow motion of the bubble surface is assumed to be uniform over the bubble volume. At the same time t he fluid in the thin zone adjacent to the bubble is considered to be slight ly compressible. Otherwise the gas dynamics equations are used for the gas and the fluid. The dynamics of the fluid in the thick external zone are des cribed by the linear acoustics only. The proposed simplified method and two others used in literature are estimated by comparison of their numerical r esults with those obtained in full statement. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.