title: A model for the nonlinear mechanism responsible for cochlear amplification.
abstract: A nonlinear model for the mechanism responsible for the amplification of the sound wave in the ear is derived using the geometric and material properties of the system. The result is a nonlinear beam equation, with the nonlinearity appearing in a coefficient of the equation. Once derived, the beam problem is analyzed for various loading conditions. Based on this analysis it is seen that the mechanism is capable of producing a spatially localized gain, as required by any amplification mechanism, but it is also capable of increasing the spatial contrast in the signal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590, United States. fessek@rpi.edu.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fessel
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Holmes
mesh_terms: D003051:Cochlea / Q000502:physiology*; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D013016:Sound