Short and long waves in the cochlea.
Mathematically, it is attractive to model cochlear dynamics as a one-dimensional problem. This implies the hypothesis that the (smallest) wavelength is large compared to the cross-section of the cochlear channels. It is suspected that this hypothesis is not justified at and near the place where the wavelength is smallest. For several types of model the response is computed with due allowance for short waves. The results show that in the pertinent region short waves completely dominate the response. Several consequences of this finding are discussed.
D001489:Basilar Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D003051:Cochlea / Q000502:physiology*; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological