Chong Wei

Simulation of ultrasound beam formation of baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) with a finite element model

The baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) of the Yangtze River possesses a sophisticated biosonar system. In this study, a finite element approach was used to numerically investigate the propagation of acoustic waves through the head of the Yangtze River dolphin, which possesses an inhomogeneous and complex structure. The acoustic intensity distribution predicted from models with and without the melon and/or skull showed that the emitted sound beam was narrow and formed a highly directed acoustic beam, and the skull and melon significantly enhanced the directional characteristics of the emitted sound. Finally, for a short duration impulsive source, the emitted sound pressure distributions were also simulated at different propagation times. The results provide useful information for better understanding the operation of the biosonar system in this rare and perhaps extinct animal.

Acoustic property reconstruction of a neonate Yangtze finless porpoise's (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) head based on CT imaging.

The reconstruction of the acoustic properties of a neonate finless porpoise’s head was performed using X-ray computed tomography (CT). The head of the deceased neonate porpoise was also segmented across the body axis and cut into slices. The averaged sound velocity and density were measured, and the Hounsfield units (HU) of the corresponding slices were obtained from computed tomography scanning. A regression analysis was employed to show the linear relationships between the Hounsfield unit and both sound velocity and density of samples. Furthermore, the CT imaging data were used to compare the HU value, sound velocity, density and acoustic characteristic impedance of the main tissues in the porpoise’s head. The results showed that the linear relationships between HU and both sound velocity and density were qualitatively consistent with previous studies on Indo-pacific humpback dolphins and Cuvier’s beaked whales. However, there was no significant increase of the sound velocity and acoustic impedance from the inner core to the outer layer in this neonate finless porpoise’s melon.

Biosonar signal propagation in the harbor porpoise's (Phocoena phocoena) head: The role of various structures in the formation of the vertical beam

Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) use narrow band echolocation signals for detecting and locating prey and for spatial orientation. In this study, acoustic impedance values of tissues in the porpoises head were calculated from computer tomography (CT) scan and the corresponding Hounsfield Units. A two-dimensional finite element model of the acoustic impedance was constructed based on CT scan data to simulate the acoustic propagation through the animals head. The far field transmission beam pattern in the vertical plane and the waveforms of the receiving points around the forehead were compared with prior measurement results, the simulation results were qualitatively consistent with the measurement results. The role of the main structures in the head such as the air sacs, melon and skull in the acoustic propagation was investigated. The results showed that air sacs and skull are the major components to form the vertical beam. Additionally, both beam patterns and sound pressure of the sound waves through four positions deep inside the melon were demonstrated to show the role of the melon in the biosonar sound propagation processes in the vertical plane.

The role of various structures in the head on the formation of the biosonar beam of the baiji (Lipotes vexillifer)

The relative role of the various structures in the head of the baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) is examined. A finite element approach was applied to numerically simulate the acoustic propagation through a dolphins head to examine the relative role of the skull, air sacs, and melon in the formation of the biosonar beam in the vertical plane. The beam pattern obtained with the whole head in place is compared with the beam pattern when the air sac is removed and the other structures (skull and melon) are in place, with only the skull removed, and finally with only the melon removed. The beam pattern with the air sacs and skull intact and the melon removed closely resembled the beam pattern for the complete head, suggesting that the melon has a minor role in the formation of the beam. The beam pattern for the other two cases had very little resemblance to the beam pattern for the whole head. The air sacs seem to have a role of directing propagation of the signal toward the front and the skull prevents the sound propagating below the rostrum. The beam patterns along with a correlation analysis showed that the melon had only a slight influence on the shape and direction of the beam. The resultant beam exiting the head of the dolphin is the result of complex reflection processes within the head of the animal.

Finite element simulation of broadband biosonar signal propagation in the near- and far-field of an echolocating Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

Bottlenose dolphins project broadband echolocation signals for detecting and locating prey and predators, and for spatial orientation. There are many unknowns concerning the specifics of biosonar signal production and propagation in the head of dolphins and this manuscript represents an effort to address this topic. A two-dimensional finite element model was constructed using high resolution CT scan data. The model simulated the acoustic processes in the vertical plane of the biosonar signal emitted from the phonic lips and propagated into the water through the animals head. The acoustic field on the animals forehead and the farfield transmission beam pattern of the echolocating dolphin were determined. The simulation results and prior acoustic measurements were qualitatively extremely consistent. The role of the main structures on the sound propagation pathway such as the air sacs, melon, and connective tissue was investigated. Furthermore, an investigation of the driving force at the phonic lips for dolphins that emit broadband echolocation signals and porpoises that emit narrowband echolocation signals suggested that the driving force is different for the two types of biosonar. Finally, the results provide a visual understanding of the sound transmission in dolphins biosonar.

Dolphin target detection processes investigation using finite element model

Dolphins and porpoises use their sophisticated biosonar systems for targets detection, within a range of a few meters to about 200 m, there is not a better sonar on the planet. In this study, the high resolution computer tomography (CT) scan data were used to create the detecting click signal propagation models of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The finite element methods (FEM) were used to simulate the processes of the clicks emitted from phonic lips and transmit to the water through animals’ heads. The biosonar beam forming in the nearfield and farfield including the amplitude contours were determined and compared to the prior measurement results. There were no evidences of convergence in the farfield, which were consistent with measurement results for Tursiops truncatus. Additionally, in a cross-modal matching experiments with Tursiops, we found that the accuracy of the successive match was significantly different when the following subjects wi...

A simulation of temperature influence on echolocation click beams of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis)

A finite element method was used to investigate the temperature influence on sound beams of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin. The numerical models of a dolphin, which originated from previous computed tomography (CT) scanning and physical measurement results, were used to investigate sound beam patterns of the dolphin in temperatures from 21 °C to 39 °C, in increments of 2 °C. The -3 dB beam widths across the temperatures ranged from 9.3° to 12.6°, and main beam angle ranged from 4.7° to 7.2° for these temperatures. The subsequent simulation suggested that the dolphins sound beam patterns, side lobes in particular, were influenced by temperature.

Control ultrasound beam by tissues in the head of finless porpoise acting as a tunable gradient index material

Porpoises are well known to emit directional ultrasound beams for detecting and tracking preys; however, how they produce and manipulate directional beams are challenging. Here, we investigated physical mechanism of ultrasound beam formation and control of finless porpoise (N. a. sunameri) by using an integrated scheme of computed tomography, tissue and field measurements, and numerical modeling. The results showed that complex acoustic structures in the porpoise’s forehead contributed to producing directional acoustic field. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the skull, air sacs, connective tissue, muscle, and melon constituted a gradient index (GRIN) structure whose density and sound velocity are positively correlated, and thus regulated the directional beam. The removal or compression deformation of the forehead tissues decentralizes energy and widens sound beam, indicating that the forehead tissues as a tunable natural GRIN material significantly impact beam patterns of the finless porpoise. The result...

Acoustic properties reconstruction of forehead tissues in an Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), with investigation on temperature effects on the species tissues sound velocity and beam

Computed tomography (CT) imaging and ultrasound experimental measurements were used to reconstruct the acoustic properties (density, velocity, and impedance) of forehead tissues from a deceased Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis). The nonlinear regression methods were used to demonstrate the relationships between the sound velocity and temperature in melon, muscle and connective tissue. The obtained nonlinear equations were then combined with the original CT scanning results and sound velocity distributions reconstructed at room temperature 25°C to reconstruct the dolphin head’s sound velocity distribution at temperature 37°C. The beam formation and beam properties between two temperatures 37°C and 25°C were then compared and discussed. The results could provide important information for understanding the species’ bioacoustic characteristics and the acoustic data can be used for investigation of biosonar beam formation of this species.

Acoustic processes in an echolocating bottlenose dolphin’s (Tursiops aduncus) head using a finite element model

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) are a well-known species using broadband echolocation signals for searching prey and spatial orientation. In this study, the computed tomography (CT) scan data were obtained to set up a two-dimensional finite element model. In the vertical plane, the acoustic field on the animal’s forehead and the far field transmission beam pattern of an echolocating dolphin were calculated. The simulation results and prior measurement results were consistent qualitatively. The role of the main structures on the sound propagation pathway such as air sacs, melon, skull, and connective tissues was investigated. Furthermore, the signal at the source excitation was investigated. It suggested that the broadband echolocation dolphins may not have the same driving signals at the source excitation as the narrowband echolocation dolphins. The results can help us gain further understanding of the acoustic processes in dolphin’s biosonar.