Resonant acoustic scattering by a finite linear grating of elastic shells

Theoretical and experimental studies of the acoustic scattering by a finite linear grating of elastic cylindrical shells are performed. It is observed that a resonant interaction takes place at low frequency when the shells are very close to each other. This phenomenon can be clearly associated to the Scholte-Stoneley wave that propagates around a single shell. It is shown that each resonance of the Scholte-Stoneley wave is split up into N resonances when N shells compose the grating. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.