title: On the role of periodic structures in the lower jaw of the atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).
abstract: This paper proposes the application of band-gap theory to hearing in the atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Using the transmission line modelling (TLM) technique and published computed tomography (CT) data of an atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), a series of sound propagation experiments have been carried out. It is shown that the teeth in the lower jaw can be viewed as a periodic array of scattering elements which result in the formation of an acoustic stop band (or band gap) that is angular dependent. It is shown through simple and complex geometry simulations that performance enhancements such as improved gain and isolation between the two receive paths can be achieved. This mechanism has the potential to be exploited in direction-finding sonar.
authors.affiliation: Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dible
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Flint
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lepper
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000818:Animals; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004455:Echolocation / Q000502:physiology*; D004735:Energy Transfer / Q000502:physiology*; D007568:Jaw / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D013045:Species Specificity; D014732:Vibration