Animations for Acoustics Education

The Dipole

A dipole is an idealization of an acoustic source where a force is produced in one direction.

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  The 3-D far field radiation pattern of a dipole. For a dipole oriented along the z axis, as shown here, the radiation pattern is proportional to Cos[theta] where the angle theta is measured down from the z axis.

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  2-D cross section of particle motion in and around a dipole. (80K) [This needs to be improved , but that will have to wait for a rainy day.]

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  One way of producing a dipole is a transversely oscillating sphere which is small compared to wavelength (80K).

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  Here we see the equivalence of a plate moving up and down to two out of phase closely spaced simple sources. Either way, a dipole results. (41K)

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© 1995 - 2001, Victor W. Sparrow.
Most recent update: 2/1/2001
For more information contact sparrow@helmholtz.acs.psu.edu.