The Acoustics and Fluid Dynamics Research Group at the University of Edinburgh currently consists of six academic staff, two postdoctoral researchers and four postgraduate students. It is based in the School of Physics and Astronomy, but has strong research links with several other disciplines including music, medicine and engineering.
The Group includes the Musical Acoustics Laboratory, one of the leading European centres for the scientific study and physical modelling of musical wind instruments. Current research in the field of musical acoustics includes the measurement of musical wind instrument bores and the vocal tracts of singers by acoustical methods, visualisation, measurement and modelling of the motion of brass players' lips and woodwind double reeds, and the study of a player's touch control on mechanical action pipe organs.
The laser-based technique of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is used to study non-linear effects in high amplitude sound fields, and to investigate the onset of turbulence in oscillatory liquid flow in vascular models. A collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory is developing a method for absolute calibration of microphones using Laser Doppler Velocimetry. These experimental approaches are complemented by numerical modelling using the Lattice Boltzmann technique, and by theoretical and computational studies of turbulence.
An exciting new MSc in Acoustics and Music Technology is being offered by the group in collaboration with the music and architecture departments. This course aims to provide a broad-based foundation in the musical and multimedia applications of acoustics and music technology.
