On the theory of surface acoustic wave generation by electric spark discharge

A simple theoretical model of Raleigh surface acoustic wave generation by an electric spark discharge is developed. The model is based on the reduction of the compacted problem of spark-initiated strong air shock wave interaction with an elastic semispace to the Lamb problem for elastic semispace excitation by the equivalent surface force which contains appropriate information about the incident shock wave as well as about the physical parameters of the discharge. The solution of this problem is analysed for the case of surface wave generation. The results are compared with existing experiments.