A THEORETICAL-STUDY OF SONOLUMINESCENCE

The production of OH radicals by dissociation of water vapor in oscillating argon bubbles is studied theoretically to examine a possible mechanism for the emission of the 310-nm line observed in sonoluminescence experiments. Accurate models are used for the calculation of the temperature field in the gas and for the description of the associated chemical kinetics. Heat transfer between the bubble and the liquid is found to play a dominant role in the process. At the low excitation amplitudes considered, the bubble radius is also an important parameter.