Spherical nonlinear wave propagation in a dissipative stratified atmosphere (Q1205387)

Nonlinear acoustic wave propagation is considered, for a signal which is initially sinusoidal at the input radius, subject to the effects of spherical spreading, exponential density stratification with altitude, and thermoviscous dissipation. A model equation is derived giving the signal variation along each straight line ray from the centre of symmetry, and in the form of a generalized Burgers equation. This equation is studied in the small-dissipation limit.