Scientists can make light by collapsing an underwater bubble with sound, but no one knows exactly how it works



    by RubyRuffle

    23 Comments

    1. Sonoluminescence was first discovered in 1934 at the University of Cologne. It occurs when a sound wave of sufficient intensity induces a gaseous cavity within a liquid to collapse quickly, emitting a burst of light. The phenomenon can be observed in stable single-bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL) and multi-bubble sonoluminescence (MBSL).

      In 1960, Peter Jarman proposed that sonoluminescence is thermal in origin and might arise from microshocks within collapsing cavities. Later experiments revealed that the temperature inside the bubble during SBSL could reach up to 12,000 kelvins (11,700 °C; 21,100 °F). The exact mechanism behind sonoluminescence remains unknown, with various hypotheses including hotspot, bremsstrahlung, and collision-induced radiation.

      Some researchers have even speculated that temperatures in sonoluminescing systems could reach millions of kelvins, potentially causing thermonuclear fusion; this idea, however, has been met with skepticism by other researchers.

      The phenomenon has also been observed in nature, with the pistol shrimp being the first known instance of an animal producing light through sonoluminescence.

      [Source](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonoluminescence)

    2. Icy_Acanthisitta7741 on

      Is it making light?
      Or just changing the reflection / refraction angle and that light is now going toward the camera at that moment?

    3. Interesting…. I think I the properties of the sphere collapsing is similar to a black hole , maybe the light is being bent back?

      I dunno I should study something….

    4. That flash of light is probably a big bang event on a much more smaller scale that gave birth to some universe which for us lasted less than a second but for this universe it took billions of years from being born to collapse.

    5. I think it is probably something like cavitation. The sound waves makes a void in the water that collapses in and creates some plasma as it does. The plasma excites some electrons up into higher energy levels which emit light as they drop back down.

      That’s my hypothesis. It will take someone with more training and budget than me to test it to see if the spectrum of light corresponds to oxygen or hydrogen to get some evidence.

    6. Isn’t it just the pressure inside the bubble increasing, so it increases the temperature inside the bubble, and the gas inside the bubble lights up at high temperatures (it might not be air inside)

    7. would it not be the same principle as a diesel engine where it compresses the fuel/air till in spontaneously combust. air is still combustible by itself. would this just not be a mini explosion and the light is the fire? same thing as when the ocean gate sub imploded. its said it got hotter then the sun during the 0.00005 seconds it took to collapse the craft

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