8–12 Sept 2026
Europe/Vienna timezone

Sonic Black Holes for Enhancing Detection of Weak Signals

FA2026/36
11 Sept 2026, 10:40
20m
Galerie B (Messe Congress Graz)

Galerie B

Messe Congress Graz

Speaker

Semere B. Gebrekidan (Institute of Mechanics and Mechatronic)

Description

Acoustic wave propagation inside sonic black holes (SBHs) is characterized by a decrease in the speed of sound and a gradual increase in pressure magnitude. Beyond their application as broadband sound absorbers, this paper explores their use as broadband pressure enhancement devices to improve the detection of weak signals by exploiting this gradual increase in pressure. We numerically and experimentally demonstrate an enhancement of up to 20 dB in signal detection over a broad frequency range by placing a microphone inside the SBH and comparing its performance with that of a microphone in a free field. This approach paves the way for passive acoustic wave amplification of weak signals, enabling low-power devices with enhanced detection capability.

Authors

Semere B. Gebrekidan (Institute of Mechanics and Mechatronic) Florian Toth (Institute of Mechanics and Mechatronics)

Presentation materials