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Research group

Acoustics Group

Speakers

We explore the science and real-world application of acoustics. Our research includes underwater acoustics, aeroacoustics, and virtual acoustics.

Part of Engineering

About

We've worked with industry partners to discover the implications for areas like science, the ecosystem and quality of life.  

Ultrasonics and underwater acoustics (UAUA)  

  
At the UAUA we take projects from science to real-world use. Our work brings together a range of different specialisms and our areas of focus include:  

  • exploring how a waterfall might sound on Titan, Saturn's largest moon, and whether this could benefit the Cassini-Huygens probe mission  
  • studying how dolphins think, and how this knowledge could help us protect shipping  
  • producing 3D pictures of shipwrecks, allowing archaeological research without disturbing a wreck  

  
Biomedical and high-power ultrasonics  
   

We research a range of biomedical issues, such as how we can use ultrasound to change chemical reactions. This can help industries become cleaner and more efficient.  

Our research has led to developments in many areas, including:  

  • a 'smart stethoscope' to assess the effectiveness of ultrasound in destroying kidney stones  
  • an ultrasound system to detect osteoporosis and the general health of bone  
  • a method for assessing muscle quality using ultrasound  

  
Aeroacoustics and nonlinear acoustics 

 
Our programme of research in aeroacoustics includes exploring how to reduce aircraft noise. This noise affects the quality of life of those who live near airports, and is an environmental barrier to the growth of commercial aviation.  
 
We've focused on:  

  • the design of acoustic liners to reduce noise from intake and bypass ducts  
  • the development of improved models for jet noise  
  • developing and exploiting measurement techniques for rig and full-scale engine noise testing 

Research highlights

A large passenger plane flying close overhead

Curbing the impact of aircraft noise

Environment, sustainability and clean growth
Health and wellbeing
A new project aims to mitigate the effect of increasing air traffic on people on the ground.

People, projects and publications

People

Mr Achilles Kappis

Connect with Achilles

Email: Achilleas.Kappis@soton.ac.uk

ORCID
LinkedIn

Professor Alan McAlpine

Professor

Research interests

  • Aeroacoustics
  • Aircraft engine noise
  • Aircraft engine installation acoustics

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Alan

Email: am@isvr.soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 2667

ORCID

Professor Alec Wilson

Professor Computational Aeroacoustics

Research interests

  • As Director of the Rolls-Royce UTC in Propulsion Systems Noise Alec develops, leads and participates in a range of European and UK collaborative research programmes in the field of aeroplane noise, with particular emphasis on aeroengine noise sources and sound propagation.
  • While at Rolls-Royce Alec played a pioneering role in the application of aerodynamic CFD codes to predict turbomachinery tone noise generated by real engineering geometries, and Alec’s own research at the University of Southampton still centres on the development and application of analytic and numerical modelling techniques to real-world engineering issues and opportunities.
  • An example of Alec’s current research is the development of a new prediction method based on eigen analysis.  Eigen analysis has been used for many years to provide a fast, computationally efficient method for predicting noise propagation in ducts, but the methods used have been limited to simplified geometries and mean flow which has limited their usefulness in practice.  The new method being developed retains the computational efficiency of previous methods, but can be applied to any smoothly varying mean flow and duct geometry.  The initial target of the research is to provide a method to predict acoustic propagation through a three-dimensional aeroengine intake at a computational cost that permits multiple calculations during the design optimisation process.

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Alec

Email: A.G.Wilson@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4429

Professor Anna Barney

Associate Vice-President (Education)
Connect with Anna

Email: ab3@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 3734

ORCID

Ms Aycan Yetim

Connect with Aycan

Email: say2n23@soton.ac.uk

ORCID

Dr Ben Lineton

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Much of cochlear physiology and pathophysiology remains poorly understood. For example, how do the 3000 rows of active outer hair cells interact with each other and with other cochlear structures to amplify the waves in the cochlea that allow us to hear? How are the motions of these cochlear structures related to the otoacoustic emissions that we can measure in the ear canal?  What role do the efferent nerves play?  What are the changes brought about by pathology? The long term research goal is to understand human cochlear physiology in both normal and pathological conditions with a view to aiding the development of improved clinical diagnostic techniques and treatments.  One approach to improving our understanding of the electro-mechanical aspect of physiology is to develop realistic models of the cochlea.  These should capture the essential hydrodynamics, structural dynamics, and electrical processes involved in cochlear physiology. The non-linear mechano-electrical and electro-mechanical transduction processes are key aspects of the physiology where our understanding remains at a basic level. The ways in which these models may be useful clinically are: to aid the development of treatments, or prostheses for hearing impairment, to improve our ability to interpret clinical results (such as measurements of otoacoustic emissions or electrophysiology), to aid the development of new clinical tests of cochlear function.

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Ben

Email: bl@isvr.soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 3467

ORCID

Dr Chaitanya Paruchuri

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Aeroacoustics 
  • Duct acoustics

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Chaitanya

Email: C.C.Paruchuri@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 9458

Dr Daniil Yurchenko

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • Nonlinear and Stochastic Dynamics; Stability and Bifurcation; Energy Harvesting; Nonlinear Vibration Mitigation; 

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Daniil

Email: d.yurchenko@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 9406

ORCID
LinkedIn

Professor David Simpson

Prof of Biomedical Signal Processing

Research interests

  • His research interests are in biomedical signal processing with applications in neurophysiology and cardio-vascular and cerebro-vascular control. Specific topics are:
  • Blood flow control in the brain (how does the brain regulate is own blood supply and how to detect impairment of this function).
  • Auditory evoked potentials (methods to detect the small electrical responses of the brain to auditory stimulation for the assessment of various hearing disorders).

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with David

Email: ds@isvr.soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 3221

ORCID

Mrs Emma Mackenzie

Principal Teaching Fellow

Research interests

  • Emma is interested in the fitting and verification of hearing aids.
Connect with Emma

Email: ep@isvr.soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 2921

ORCID
My main research area is the numerical studies of aircraft engine fan noise propagation and radiation and acoustic liner design, optimisation and predictions.
Dr Rie Sugimoto
Senior Research Fellow