How does a sound vortex cannon amplify pressure waves? Does it work by compression, so that they are more focused, or in some other way?
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$\begingroup$ Related: youtube.com/watch?v=IyAyd4WnvhU . There is no "amplification" going on - just transmission of the pressure over distance. $\endgroup$– FlorisCommented Mar 2, 2017 at 15:47
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No, there is no amplification taking place in the formation of a vortex ring. In fact there is a significant amount of energy loss to form the ring.
A vortex ring is a special soliton wave that captures a fixed amount of energy in as it is formed. It can carry this energy over a long distance with minor dissipation and then transfer the energy to the target it strikes.
So it's really the stable nature of the vortex ring, its structure, that makes it a practical choice as a 'projectile'. But to do significant 'damage' to a target takes a significant amount of generating energy from the cannon in which it is formed.
answered Feb 24, 2017 at 5:23