Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Studying Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear Response of Soft Materials
Published on: April 25, 2019
Observation of shock transverse waves in elastic media
S Catheline1, J-L Gennisson, M Tanter
1Laboratoire Ondes et Acoustique, ESPCI, Université Paris VII, U.R.A. CNRS 1503, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.
Abstract:
We report the first experimental observation of a shock transverse wave propagating in an elastic medium. This observation was possible because the propagation medium, a soft solid, allows one to reach a very high Mach number. In this extreme configuration, the shock formation is observed over a distance of less than a few wavelengths, thanks to a prototype of an ultrafast scanner (that acquires 5000 frames per second). A comparison of these new experimental data with theoretical predictions, based on a modified Burger's equation, shows good agreement.
Related Concept Videos
Shock Waves
When the source's speed approaches the speed of sound, constructive interference between successive wavefronts emitted by the source occurs immediately behind it. Initially, scientists believed that this constructive interference would result in such high pressures...
Travelling Waves
Water waves, sound waves, and seismic waves are some examples of mechanical waves. For water waves, the wave propagation medium is water;...
Sound as Pressure Waves
The pressure fluctuation depends on the difference in displacements between the successive points in the...
Speed of a Transverse Wave
One of the key properties of any wave is the wave speed. Light...
Reflection of Waves
Elastic Strain Energy for Shearing Stresses

