Acquisition of an Electronic Holography System

Goshen College, Goshen IN

Investigators

Abstract

The Goshen College Physics Department is stepping into a new area of research and teaching in the holographic study of vibrating objects. This represents a deliberate new direction for our well-established undergraduate research program. Our aim is to move into an area of great value to students and to carry out a research program that is intrinsically interesting, pedagogically useful, and connects us to local industry including musical instrument manufacturers. We propose to study the vibration modes of musical instruments using an electronic holography system (often called TV holography). Such a system can create an image of a vibrating object decorated with a pattern of fringes, which show the vibration mode. We will also use finite element analysis (FEA) to model the vibration of these musical instruments. By comparing with the holographic results and refining the model, we will build an accurate FEA model, which can be used to try out new possibilities. The Goshen College Physics Department has a history of serving certain local industries with our x-ray diffraction expertise. Similarly an electronic-holography system will provide a nondestructive testing capability that will be of value providing studies of stress-strain deformation and location of hairline cracks and defects. This capability will be a valuable addition to internship opportunities for our (binary) engineering students.