The effect of pulsed ultrasound on the survival of Drosophila

There are reports in the literature that the temporal peak intensity of pulsed ultrasound may be a better predictor of biological damage than is average intensity. The effects of temporal peak intensity on the survival of Drosophila melanogaster pupae exposed to pulsed ultrasound were investigated. Pulse average intensity and pulse repetition frequency were varied, while temporal average intensity and exposure duration were held constant. Thus, the total energy delivered was held constant. Survival was found to be directly dependent on pulse average intensity. We observed decreased survival at spatial average pulse average intensities as low as 0.5 W/cm2.