Springer Handbook of Acoustics

Acoustics, the science of sound, has developed into a broad interdisciplinary field encompassing the academic disciplines of physics, engineering, psychology, speech, audiology, music, architecture, physiology, neuroscience and others. Here is an unparalleled modern handbook reflecting this richly interdisciplinary nature edited by one of the acknowledged masters in the field, Thomas Rossing.

Researchers and students benefit from the comprehensive contents spanning: animal acoustics including infrasound and ultrasound, environmental noise control, music and human speech and singing, physiological and psychological acoustics, architectural acoustics, physical and engineering acoustics, medical acoustics and ocean acoustics.

The Springer Handbook of Acoustics reviews the most important areas of acoustics, with emphasis on current research. The authors of the various chapters are all experts in their fields. Each chapter is richly illustrated with figures and tables. The latest research and applications are incorporated throughout, e.g. computer recognition and synthesis of speech, physiological acoustics, psychological acoustics, thermoacoustics, diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications and acoustical oceanography.

This new edition of the Handbook features over 11 revised and expanded chapters, new illustrations and two new chapters covering microphone arrays, acoustic metamaterials and acoustic emission. These improvements will make the handbook even more useful as a reference and a guide for researchers and students in every branch of acoustics.

Praise for the first edition:

"This treatise is a successful attempt to cover in one book the diverse field of acoustics, which ranges from physics to music and from formal mathematics to technological applications. ... It is this reviewer's opinion that a handbook like Rossing's, which covers the whole field of acoustics, serves a real purpose because it not only gives one a chance to see how one's specialty is covered but it also permits one to make a quick survey of other acoustical areas." (Leo Beranek, American Journal of Physics, Vol. 77 (12), December, 2009)

"The Springer Handbook of Acoustics falls into that exceptional list. ...every physics department should have a copy available." (John L. Hubisz, The Physics Teacher, Vol. 48, March, 2010)

"This handbook is an excellent addition to the acoustics literature. ... The handbook nicely covers both basics and advances in several areas of acoustics. Several chapters provide good mathematical depth, making the handbook useful as a research and technical resource. ...Overall, a very useful educational and research resource. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals." (M. G. Prasad, CHOICE, Vol. 45 (5), January, 2008)

"This book covers a wide range of topics and the inclusion of musical acoustics, computer and electronic music appeal to me (singer, song-writer, performer and recording studio co-owner). This handbook is probably well suited for an undergraduate-level introduction to an acoustics course. ... The wide range of topics, inclusion of music-related chapters, eye-pleasing presentations and other useful features make this a very good book to have on your shelf." (Tim Casey, International Journal of Acoustics and Vibration, Vol. 13 (1), 2008)

"The Springer Handbook of Acoustics comprises 28 chapters written by 33 authors. The Handbook of Acoustics is useful as a source book for anyone who needs or wants to become familiar with the jargon and issues related to a specific subfield of acoustics ... ." (Robert I. Odom, Siam Review, Vol. 50 (3), 2008)

The Springer Handbook of Acoustics reviews the most important areas of acoustics, with emphasis on current research. The authors of the various chapters are all experts in their fields. Each chapter is richly illustrated with figures and tables. The latest research and applications are incorporated throughout, e.g. computer recognition and synthesis of speech, physiological acoustics, psychological acoustics, thermoacoustics, diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications and acoustical oceanography.

This new edition of the Handbook features over 13 revised and expanded chapters, new illustrations and 3 new chapters covering microphone arrays, acoustic metamaterials and acoustic emission. These improvements will make the handbook even more useful as a reference and a guide for researchers and students in every branch of acoustics.  

Thomas Rossing received a B.A. from Luther College and MS and PhD degrees in physics from Iowa State University. After three years as a research physicist with the UNIVAC Division of Sperry Rand, he joined the faculty of St. Olaf College (Minnesota), where he was professor of physics for 14 years and chaired the department for 6 years. Since 1971 he has been a professor of physics at Northern Illinois University. He was named distinguished Research Professor in 1987 and Professor Emeritus in 2002. He is presently a Visiting Professor of Music at Stanford University. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, the Acoustical Society of America, IEEE, and AAAS. He was awarded the Silver Medal in Musical Acoustics by ASA and the Robert A. Millikan Medal by the American Association of Physics Teachers. He was a Sigma Xi National Lecturer 1984-87 and a visiting exchange scholar in China in 1988. He is the author of more than 400 publications (including 17 books, 9 U.S. and 11 foreign patents), mainly in acoustics, magnetism, environmental noise control and physics education. His areas of research have included musical acoustics, psychoacoustics, speech and singing, vibration analysis, magnetic levitation, surface effects in fusion reactors, spin waves in metals and physics education.