Trapped modes in an infinite tube with inhomogeneity

Abstract

Symmetric and anti-symmetric trapped modes in a cylindrical tube with a segment of higher density are studied. The problem is reduced to an eigenvalue problem of the spatial Helmholtz equation subject to vanishing Dirichlet boundary condition in the cylindrical coordinate system. Through the domain decomposition method and matching technique, multiple frequency parameters are determined by solving the characteristic equation, and the corresponding n-fold periodic trapped modes can be constructed. It is found that in addition to the fundamental mode, the second- and higher-order trapped modes exist, which depend on the density ratio and length of the inhomogeneity. The local inhomogeneity leads to a decrease of the cutoff frequencies of the homogeneous tube and the corresponding vibration mode is localized near the inhomogeneous segment.