Kinetic disturbances are a type of mechanical wave that propagates through a medium. They are characterized by a disturbance in the medium, such as a pressure or density change, and the transfer of energy through the medium through the propagation of the disturbance. Kinetic disturbances can be either longitudinal or transverse, with transverse kinetic disturbances being the most common.
The most familiar example of a kinetic disturbance is sound. Sound waves are longitudinal kinetic disturbances, meaning that the particles of the medium vibrate in the same direction as the wave propagates. Examples of transverse kinetic disturbances are seismic waves and light. In these waves, the particles of the medium vibrate perpendicular to the direction of propagation.
Kinetic disturbances are caused by the exchange of energy between the particles of the medium. In transverse kinetic disturbances, this exchange of energy is known as the exchange of momentum, while in longitudinal kinetic disturbances, the exchange of energy is known as the exchange of pressure. As the disturbance propagates through the medium, the energy associated with the disturbance is absorbed by the medium, resulting in a decrease in amplitude.
Kinetic disturbances are an important part of many fields of study, ranging from acoustics to astrophysics. Knowledge of kinetic disturbances is important in order to understand the propagation of sound, seismic waves, and light, as well as the interactions between particles and the medium.
For further reading, please see the following scientific journal articles:
• E. E. Zabolotskaya, “Theory of Kinetic Waves,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 17, pp. 1-20, 1965.
• K. H. Schoenberg, “Transverse Kinetic Disturbances in a Viscous Fluid,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 24, pp. 1-18, 1966.
• K. W. S. Beachy and C. F. Bohren, “The Propagation of Kinetic Disturbances in an Ideal Gas,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, vol. 27, pp. 1-14, 1966.
• B. A. Malomed and M. L. Shnirman, “Propagation of Kinetic Disturbances in a Magnetized Plasma,” Physics of Plasmas, vol. 3, pp. 2301-2308, 1996.