Full bandwidth calibration procedure for acoustic probes containing a pressure and particle velocity sensor

Calibration of acoustic particle velocity sensors is still difficult due to the lack of standardized sensors to compare with. Recently it is shown by Jacobsen and Jaud J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120, 830-837 (2006) that it is possible to calibrate a sound pressure and particle velocity sensor in free field conditions at higher frequencies. This is done by using the known acoustic impedance at a certain distance of a spherical loudspeaker. When the sound pressure is measured with a calibrated reference microphone, the particle velocity can be calculated from the known impedance and the measured pressure. At lower frequencies, this approach gives unreliable results. The method is now extended to lower frequencies by measuring the acoustic pressure inside the spherical source. At lower frequencies, the sound pressure inside the sphere is proportional to the movement of the loudspeaker membrane. If the movement is known, the particle velocity in front of the loudspeaker can be derived. This low frequency approach is combined with the high frequency approach giving a full bandwidth calibration procedure which can be used in free field conditions using a single calibration setup. The calibration results are compared with results obtained with a standing wave tube.