Sound generation by a vortex ring collision

Abstract

A collision between two vortex rings and its sound generation is studied numerically using the contour dynamics method. Results suggest that the radial acceleration and the rate of change of the axial acceleration of the vortex rings are the more important dynamic parameters for sound generation during the interaction. The former is important at or near the pass-through instant when the vortex rings are coplanar and are of unequal strength. The latter, being important in the sound generation during a head-on collision before the vortex ring cores are very close to each other, especially when the rings are thin, is also important in sound generation by an unequal strength vortex ring collision after the pass through when the vortex cores are separated by a distance so that the mutual induction strength does not result in significant change of the impulse of the stronger ring. ©1995 Acoustical Society of America.