Advanced techniques to reveal the underlying physics of ultrasonic processing

Abstract

We have initiated this Special Issue with the aim of collecting and compiling under one umbrella the most advanced experimental and numerical techniques used in understanding the physical phenomena across different length and time scale during ultrasonic processing, i.e. cavitation, shock waves, high-frequency oscillations, acoustic flows, and their interactions with liquid and solid phases. There are several teams in the world that are deeply involved in this type of research, and we expected to get some 20–25 papers published in this Special Issue. In our view, this type of research – namely the specialised techniques for quantifying the effects and mechanisms of ultrasonic processing – is underrepresented in the open literature. Contrary to our expectations, we have not received papers from many of the researchers that are active in this area, despite direct invitations. Apparently, the current research and financial environment does not stimulate publishing open access original or review papers even in such a highly reputed and ranked journal as Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, which is a pity. We only hope that this will change and as new techniques emerge they will be reported, aiding our deeper understanding of the underlying physics of ultrasonic processing.