ATTENUATION CHARACTERISTICS OF TECTORIAL MEMBRANE WAVE

Abstract

This study focuses on the attenuation characteristics of the waves that propagate on the tectorial membrane (tectorial membrane waves). The traveling wave on the basilar membrane (basilar membrane wave) plays a main role in transmitting acoustic signals. However, slow waves can propagate on the tectorial membrane other than the basilar membrane. If the tectorial membrane waves also progress along the cochlea from the base to the apex, they could have influence on the signal that is transmitted by the basilar membrane wave. We discuss the difference of the propagation characteristics between two types of the tectorial membrane waves and the basilar membrane wave by comparing the attenuation constants. First, we showed the difference of the displacement of the basilar and tectorial membranes between these waves. Then, we investigated their propagation characteristics including the phase constants and attenuation constants. Finally, we studied the structural dependence of the attenuation constants of the tectorial membrane waves.