Air-coupled ultrasonic resonant spectroscopy for the study of the relationship between plant leaves' elasticity and their water content

IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2012 Feb;59(2):319-25. doi: 10.1109/TUFFC.2012.2194.

Abstract

Air-coupled wideband ultrasonic piezoelectric transducers are used in the frequency range 0.3 to 1.3 MHz to excite and sense first-order thickness resonances in the leaves of four different tree species at different levels of hydration. The phase and magnitude spectra of these resonances are measured, and the inverse problem solved; that is, leaf thickness and density, ultrasound velocity, and the attenuation coefficient are obtained. The elastic constant in the thickness direction (c33) is then determined from density and velocity data. The paper focuses on the study of c33, which provides a unique, fast, and noninvasive ultrasonic method to determine leaf elasticity and leaf water content.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air
  • Algorithms
  • Anisotropy
  • Elastic Modulus / physiology*
  • Elasticity Imaging Techniques / methods*
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Plant Leaves / cytology
  • Plant Leaves / physiology*
  • Spectrum Analysis / methods*
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Water / analysis*

Substances

  • Water