Acoustic spectral gaps and discrete transmisson in slender tubes

Abstract We report the band structure and transmission spectrum for the longitudinal (acoustic) wave propagation in a system made up of N ′ dangling side branches (DSB) periodically grafted at each of the N equidistant sites on a slender tube. A periodic pattern of large stop bands is obtained for the airy DSB on a slender water tube. We emphasize the interesting result of huge gaps and the discrete transmission spectrum due only to the DSB grafted at a single site ( N =1) on the slender tube. Designing the system with open tubes allows achievement of the lowest gap below a threshold frequency and extending up to zero — thereby providing an entirely discrete band structure and transmission spectrum. This should have important consequences for the suppression of low-frequency noise and for designing filters and transducers.