Pressure dependence of the ultrasound attenuation and speed in bubbly media: Theory and experiment

Results of the measurements of sound speed and attenuation in a bubbly medium are reported. Monodisperse bubble solutions are sonicated with broadband ultrasound pulses with pressure amplitudes ranging between 12.5-100 kPa. Fundamental relationships between the frequency dependent attenuation, sound speed and pressure are established. A new model for the estimation of sound speed and attenuation is derived that incorporates the effect of nonlinear bubble oscillations on the wave propagation in the bubbly media. Model predictions are in good agreement with experimental results.