Pressure-induced interaction between bubbles in a cavitation field

This paper describes the interaction between cavities in transient multibubble cavitation which is due to the pressure waves emitted by collapsing bubbles. These waves sum up to a time-dependent “secondary pressure” which accelerates the collapse of contracting bubbles. Since, in each cycle of the exciting sound field the smallest bubbles are the first to implode, this interaction results in an energy transfer from smaller bubbles to larger ones, which undergo particularly violent collapses. This effect is demonstrated by a few examples.