Journal of Sound and Vibration (1972) 25 (l), 39-50

AN ANALYSIS OF THE ACOUSTIC POWER RADIATED BY A

POINT DIPOLE SOURCE INTO A RECTANGULAR
REVERBERATION CHAMBER

S. N. YOUSRI AND F. J. FAHY

Institute of Sound and Vibration Research,

University of Southampton, Southampton SO9 SNH, England

(Received 30 May 1972)

The acoustic power radiated by a point dipole source into a rectangular reverberation
chamber has been calculated by consideration of the total power absorbed by the chamber
surfaces. A normal mode approach has been used. The time and space averaged value of the
radiated acoustic power is found to approximate closely to the free field value. An express-
ion for normalized standard deviation of the acoustic power radiated has been obtained as
a function of source frequency, chamber volume, chamber reverberation time and dipole
orientation.
The radiated power has also been computed for a dipole source near one or more
surfaces within the chamber and for different dipole orientations.
The results make a contribution to development of the standard techniques for
determination of sound power radiated by a source in reverberation chambers and
complement the substantial amount of corresponding work on monopole sound sources.

1. INTRODUCTION

It has previously been shown [l, 23 that a high frequency point monopole sound source in
a reverberation chamber radiates time averaged power which, when averaged over all
possible source positions in the chamber, is equal to the free field value. The corresponding
normalized standard deviation, crN, of the acoustic power radiated at normal conditions
(c = 340 m/s) is given by uN = (125O/f)JT/V, where ,f’is the source frequency in Hz,
T is the reverberation time in seconds and V is the chamber volume in m3.t
Some practical noise sources approximate more to dipoles than to monopoles, and
corresponding results for a dipole source are then required. In this paper the case of a point
dipole source in a reverberation chamber is considered. The time and source position
average, and also the normalized standard deviation of the radiated acoustic power has
been calculated. In addition the effect on source power of proximity to one or more surfaces
of the chamber has been computed.

2. ACOUSTIC POWER RADIATED BY A DIPOLE

IN A RECTANGULAR REVERBERATION CHAMBER

The acoustic pressure, P, at (xc, yc, zc) produced by a simple harmonic monopole sound
source of angular frequency o at the point (x, y, z) in a rectangular chamber of dimensions

7 A list of nomenclature is given in the Appendix.

39
40 S. N. YOUSRI AND F. J. FAHY

L,, L, and L,, which has walls of small acoustic conductance ratio p, is given approximately
by PI

i”QP %%l%4G Y94 44x0Yo, zo)

Pbo, yo,zo) = e
-iot
c (1)
)I’
7
b&n
k2 - k; - 2iko /I? 3 +$ +$
x Y 2

where
It/(x,Y, 4 = ~0s (W ~0s (k,y) cm @A

Hxo, YO, zo>

= ~0s @xx,) ~0s (k,yo) ~0s (kzzo)
and

A model of an acoustic dipole source can be constructed by placing two simple sources,
which have opposite signs and equal magnitudes, in close proximity. In this case the normal
mode function, I&C, y, z), is

t,b(x,y,z)=cosk, x-~ cask, y-T cask, z-~

( Ax) ( “1 ( “1 -

N Axk, sin (kp) cos (k,y) cos (k,z) +

+ Ayk, cos (k,x) sin (k,y) cos (k,z) f

+ Azk, cos (k,x) cos (k,y) sin (kZz), (2)

when 1*x/L,, mAy/L, and nAz/L, + 1.

Morse and Ingard [3] show that below about 2.5 kHz in atmospheric air the greater
part of the energy dissipation occurs at the walls, and we can neglect the absorption in the
air. Maling’s analysis [l] for walls of relatively low acoustic admittance gives the
equation of time averaged energy balance as

(w) = j-E /I dA. (3)

The integration in equation (3) is performed over all the surfaces in the chamber (6 walls)
and the ratio of the time averaged acoustic power radiated by a dipole sound source in a
chamber to that in a free field is then

(4)

where $(x, y, z) is given by equation (2).

 DIPOLE SOURCE POWER 41
3. SPACE AVERAGE OF THE RATIO (w/we) FOR A DIPOLE SOURCE
IN A RECTANGULAR CHAMBER

When there exists a high density of normal modes, terms with I, m or n = 0 will contribute
an insignificant amount to the sum and, with eI = a,,, = E, = 2, equation (4) gives

ti2(X>
Y74
i
\%I
-W \ = g+2,E” ” (k2 -kg)2 + (Ap!)‘]
(5)
[
Rice’s formula, as used by Lyon [2], gives the spatial average value of the ratio (w/w,) as

w +2(x? Y>2) n(k0)

- = -_ (6)
0 wo (k’-k;)‘+(?!?$)2jdko’

where n(ko) is the number of modes lying between k, and k, + dk,, n(k,) = k~V/2n2,
and

$“(x,y,z) =+/j+2(~,y,z)dxdydz
0 0 0

= +[(Axk,)’ + (Ayk,,)’ + (Azk,)‘]. (7)

The integration in equation (6) is too complicated to solve in a closed form. $2(x, y, z)
as given by equation (7) is therefore averaged over the surface of an octant of a sphere of
radius k, in the wave number lattice diagram to give

n/2n/2
[11/‘(x,y,z)] = --$I 1 $‘(x, y,z)kg sin8 ded$ = z. (8)
0
0 0

From equations (6) and (8),

(i$ = %i [(kg - k2)’ :(2ko/3A,V)‘, dko*

The substitution R = (kg - k2)/ko may be made and k may be taken to be approxi-
mately equal to k, because only values of k, near k contribute significantly to the integral.
Hence the ratio is

(VA/V>
(9)
R2 + (2PA/V)’ dR =”

Therefore, the power radiated by a dipole source into a large reverberation chamber at
high frequencies, when averaged over the volume of the chamber, closely approximates to
that radiated into free field.
42 S. N. YOUSRI AND F. J. FAHY

4. NORMALIZED VARIANCE OF THE RATIO (w/wJ FOR A DIPOLE SOURCE

IN A RECTANGULAR ROOM

Using Rice’s formula as given by Lyon [2], and assuming that the major contribution
comes from the oblique modes, yields, for the normalized variance of the ratio (w/wO)
(equation (5)),

where
L. L, Lx

$“(x,Y,z)= ;j-j-j-@4Gw)dxdydz
0 00

= (+)>”
[(AxkJ4 + (Ayk,J4 + (AzQ4 +

+ +(Ax Ay k, kJ2 -t 4(Ay AZk, k,)’ +

+ 3( AZ Ax k, k,)2]. (11)

The integration in equation (10) is too complicated to solve in closed form. e4(x, y,z)
as given by equation (11) is therefore averaged over a surface of an octant of a sphere of
radius k. in the wave number lattice diagram to give

W4(x, Y, $1 = --$ s j ti4(x, Y, 4 kz Sin 0 de W

0
0 0

k4s4
= (a3 - i5 [9 - 16(sin4 8, cos2 $. sin2 $. +

+ cos2 e. sin2 e,)]. (12)

Again, substituting R = (kg - k2)/ko and writing k N k,, yields, from equations (10)
and (12),

4 = gAk2
2’12 [9 - 16(sin48, cos2 4. sin’ c$~+ cos2 B. sin’ e,)].

Putting B = 0.161 V/8A T and c = 340 then gives

sin4 8, cos2 C#J~ + cos2 e. sin2 e,).

sin2 C#J~ (13)

Figure 1 shows the variation of aJ,./V/T with dipole orientation e. and do.
Three cases are of particular interest.
(i) Dipole orientation parallel to one edge (axial dipole). The largest value occurs when
two of the A’s are equal to zero, whence

1680 r
a, = - (14)
f J 7’
 DIPOLE SOURCE POWER 43
(ii) Dipole orientation parallel to one surface (tangential dipole), in which one of the A’s
equals zero and the other two are equal to each other. Then

1250 r
0’N= - (15)
f J 7’

Note that this is the same value as for monopole source.

(iii) Oblique dipole orientation. The lowest value occurs when the three A’s are equal:

1070 r
CrN= - (16)
f J -7’

A lower normalized standard deviation for the acoustic power radiated by oblique
dipoles is due to the higher number of modes excited by oblique dipoles than by axial
dipoles.

1600

Oblique dipole
1000 - (lowest value)

I
0 7r/4 lT/2

(PO

Figure 1. Normalized standard deviation for dipole in a room as a function of dipole orientation.

5. DIPOLE NEAR ONE OR MORE SURFACES WITHIN A REVERBERATION

CHAMBER
A computer program has been developed to evaluate the ratio (w/w,,) given by equation
(4). Tests of the convergence of the sum in equation (4) show that, at a source frequency
200 Hz or below, a total of 500 room modes are sufficient; the corresponding number at
500Hz is 2000 modes. The dimensions of the-assumed rectangular chamber are 8.97 x 6.3 1 x
6.02 m3 (ISVR large reverberation chamber). The following cases have been considered.
(i) Dipole near a surface of the chamber
The dipole has been assumed to be located at various points along the line y = L,/2
and x = LX/2 and various heights above the plane z = 0. The ratio (w/wO) has been
44 S. N. YOUSRI AND F. J. FAHY

computed as a function of 2k.z for the three cases of x-dipole, y-dipole and z-dipole (Figures
2, 3 and 4). The case of a dipole near an infinite rigid surface has been considered in order
to show the agreement of this method with the image method presented by Morse [3]. In
the limiting case z = 0 the agreement between both solutions (dipole near a surface in a
reverberation chamber and dipole near a single rigid surface) appears to be satisfactory
for the z-dipole. However, at positions substantially removed from the surface the re-
flections from other walls become significant. The value of the ratio (W/W,) at a frequency
which is equal to one of the room resonance frequencies will be quite different from the
value of the ratio calculated at a frequency between two modes (see Figure 2), especially at
low /?; therefore it can be expected that for small /I the average (w/wO) and ONwill vary
rapidly with frequency.
(ii) Dipole near an edge of the chamber
The dipole was assumed to be located at various points along the line y = (L,/L,)z and
x = LX/2 and at various distances from the edges y = 0 and z = 0. The ratio (w/w,) has

n74777
lipole near on infinite rigid surface [3]

Iz-dipole near a surface in the

p= 0,002 room
f =200Hz J

Figure 2. Acoustic power radiated by z-dipole near a surface.

- Horizontal dipole near

/an infinite rigid surface [3]

y-dipole near a surfacein the room

Figure 3. Acoustic power radiated by y-dipole near a surface.

 DIPOLE SOURCE POWER 45

been determined as a function of 2kr when r is the distance between the dipole and the edge
(Figures 5 and 6). The ratio (w/w,,) approaches 1.45 for /? = 0.002 and 3.2 for j3 = 0.05,
as the x-dipole approaches the edge. For the cases of the z-dipole and y-dipole, the ratio
(w/we) approaches zero as the dipoles approach the edge; this is because interference
effects depend on the orientation of the dipole: if the dipole is vertical (i.e., the dipole
vibrates normal to the edge) the interference is destructive but if it is horizontal (i.e., the
dipole vibrates parallel to the edge) the interference is constructive. At points removed
from the edge the ratio (w/wO) increases owing to reflections from other walls.

/ I 4 , I

2.0. _T I

‘\ Horizontal dipole near an infinite

\
\
lb6-
\

X- dipole near a surface in the room

2 4 6 8 IO 12
2kz

Figure 4. Acoustic power radiated by x-dipole near a surface.

I I I I I I I I I I

0 2 4 6 6 IO 12 14 16 I6 20

2kr

Figure 5. Acoustic power radiated by x-dipole (--) and r-dipole (- - -) near an edge in a room.f=200 Hz.
46 S. N. YOUSRI AND F. J. FAHY

(iii) Dipole near a corner of the chamber

The dipole has been assumed to be located at various points along the line y = (L,/L,)z
and x = (L,/L,)y and at various distances from the corner. The ratio (w/we) has been
computed as a function of 2kr. The results are shown in Figure 7. The ratio approaches
zero as the dipole approaches the corner and fluctuates as the dipole moves away from the
corner.

0 . 2 4 6 8 IO 12 14 16 16 20

2kr

Figure 6. Acoustic power radiated by y-dipole near an edge in a room. f=2OO Hz.

yp7-c_
I I I I
6 IO I2 14 I6

2kr

Figure 7. Acoustic power radiated by x-dipole, y-dipole and z-dipole near a comer in a room. .f= 200 Hz.
 DIPOLE SOURCE POWER 47
I I I I I

I.4

I.2
Theory (equation (9))

i” 8
?s
9 3 g
I,C ,- u 0

OE I-

I I I I 1

100 200 300 400 500

Frequency (Hz)

Figure 8. Time averaged acoustic power radiated by a dipole in a room: source position averaged over
room volume. Fifty random positions at least A/2 away from any wall: x , oblique dipole; 0, tangential
dipole; 0, axial dipole, Fifty random positions anywhere in the room: -t, oblique dipole, 0, tangential
dipole; A, axial dipole.

0.5 -

0.4 -

t?

0,3-

0.2 -

100 200 300 400 500

Frequency (Hz)

Figure 9. Normalized standard deviation of the acoustic power radiated by a monopole (O), axial dipole
(g=)$;gential dipole ( x) and oblique dipole (0) in a room for 50 random points anywhere in the room.
48 S. N. YOUSRI AND F. J, FAHY

6. STATISTICAL COMPUTATIONS
The computer program has been modified to accept a number of random positions in the
rectangular chamber in order (i) to compute the ratio (w/w,,) as given by equation (4) for
any chosen number of modes, (ii) to average out the ratio (w/w,), and (iii) to compute
the normalized standard deviation (in. Fifty random positions appear to be sufficient.
The present computations do not deal with many frequencies but are restricted to five
frequencies (100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 Hz) because of the rapid increase of computing
time with frequency and because the only aim of these computations is to verify equations
(9) and (13). _
0 x I I I I

b=

I I I I I
100 200 300 400 500
Frequency (Hz)

Figure 10. Normalized standard deviation of the acoustic power radiated by monopole (O), axial dipole
yZ),Ota;gential dipole (x ) and oblique dipole (0) in a room for 50 random points 42 away from any wall.

a ’ 1 I I i 1 I I 1 1
0.4 -

0.3-

I , I I I I , I 1 I
200 400 600 600 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Frequency (Hz)
Figure 11. Normalized standard deviation of acoustic power radiated by an oblique dipole in a room.
p=O.O5. 0, 50 random points anywhere in the room. x , 50 random points at least ,I/2 away from any wall.
 DIPOLE SOURCEPOWER 49
Comparisons between the computed values of (w/wO) and UNfor the axial dipole, the
tangential dipole and the oblique dipole, with B = 045, are shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10.
These verify that (w/wO) closely approximates to unity and that (TNfor the axial dipole is
higher than for the oblique dipole when 50 positions are chosen at random from the entire
volume of the chamber. However with 50 random positions chosen so that each is located
at least one-half wavelength away from the walls, the values of bN are rather closer to each
other, although cN for the axial dipole is still higher than that for the oblique dipole. This
shows that the difference in crNis not only due to dipole orientation but also due to wall
effects; destructive and constructive interference depend on dipole orientation. Figure 11
shows the comparison between computed values of fin for the oblique dipole, with p = 0.05
and the theoretical expression in equation (16).

7. CONCLUSIONS
A high frequency point dipole sound source in a reverberation chamber radiates time
average sound power which, when averaged over all possible source positions in the chamber,
is equal to the free field value. The corresponding normalized standard deviation of the
radiated power, when all possible source positions in the chamber are considered, is higher
for the axial dipole than for the oblique dipole, but this difference is not only due to dipole
orientation but also to wall proximity effects.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank the management of Clarke Chapman-John Thompson Ltd. and the
Central Electricity Generating Board (who have been associated with this work) for
permission to publish the results.

REFERENCES
1. G. C. MALING, JR. 1967 Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 42, 859-865. Calculation
of the acoustic power radiated by a monopole in a reverberation chamber.
2. R. H. LYON 1969 JournaE of the Acoustical Society of America 45, 545-565. Statistical analysis
of power injection and response in structures and rooms.
3. P. M. MORSEand K. U. INGARD 1968 Theoretical Acoustics. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.

APPENDIX
NOMENCLATURE
A total surface area of the room
speed of sound
; frequency
k wave number (k = 2nf/c)
k, modal wave number (kg = kz + kc + kz)
L,,L,,L, dimensions of rectangular room
1, m, n modal numbers
dk,) modal density
acoustic pressure
e’ source strength
r distance between dipole and an edge or corner
S distance separating the two simple sources
time
T’ reverberation time
V room volume (V = L .L YL .)
4
50 S. N. YOUSRI AND F. J. FAHY

W radiated acoustic power

wo acoustic power radiated into free space
x, Y, z source position in Cartesian coordinates
x03 Yo. zo receiver position in Cartesian coordinates
Ax, Ay, AZ Cartesian components of the distance separating the two sources
acoustic conductance ratio of the room surfaces
5 wavelength (A = c/f)
P density of the medium
El, En,, E, normalized factors
80940 dipole orientation: azimuthal angle and axial angle in spherical coordinates
0; normalized variance
flN normalized standard deviation
II/ mode shape function
w radian frequency (o = 2nf)
0 time average
spatial average