Polarization singularities and Möbius strips in sound and water-surface waves
Abstract
We show that polarization singularities, generic for any complex vector field but so far mostly studied for electromagnetic fields, appear naturally in inhomogeneous yet monochromatic sound and water-surface (e.g., gravity or capillary) wave fields in fluids or gases. The vector properties of these waves are described by the velocity or displacement fields characterizing the local oscillatory motion of the medium particles. We consider a number of examples revealing C-points of purely circular polarization and polarization Möbius strips (formed by major axes of polarization ellipses) around the C-points in sound and gravity wave fields. Our results (i) offer a new readily accessible platform for studies of polarization singularities and topological features of complex vector wave fields and (ii) can play an important role in characterizing vector (e.g., dipole) wave–matter interactions in acoustics and fluid mechanics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1063/5.0056333
Entities
People
- Danica Sugic
- Etienne Brasselet
- Franco Nori
- Konstantin Y Bliokh
- Mathias Perrin
- Miguel A Alonso
Organizations
- Aix-Marseille University
- Army Research Office
- Foundational Questions Institute
- Japan Science and Technology Agency
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- NTT, Inc.
- RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing
- University of Bordeaux
- University of Michigan
- University of Rochester