Including Ionisation in a Simple Model of Single-bubble Sonoluminescence

A small gas bubble in a liquid, when driven by intense ultrasound, collapses and emits light in a process called Single-Bubble Sonoluminescence (SBSL). While the dynamics of driven bubbles are well studied, less is known of the physical conditions in the gas or whether it is necessary to include ionisation in simpler studies of bubble dynamics. In this study, a model was derived from Rayleigh-Plesset dynamics, a van der Waals equation of state and the first law of thermodynamics (including interfacial heat transfer and ionisation). Stronger model ionisation reduced the maximum collapse temperature, and altered other collapse characteristics. Chaotic parameter regions are proximal to, but not coincident with, known stable SL regions. Resonant behaviour was only markedly affected by ionisation close to these chaotic regions. © Australian Mathematical Society 2006.