Abstract
Sonoluminescence from a hemispherical bubble on a metal surface reported by Weninger et al. [Phys. Rev. E56, 6745(1997)] is studied theoretically based on the quasi-adiabatic compression model of a bubble collapse [Yasui. Phys. Rev. E56. 6750(1997)]. Weninger et al. reported that the light, emission was observed only for heavy noble gases such as xenon and krypton. It is clarified by the present study that the maximum bubble temperature is higher for heavier noble gas due both to the lower thermal conductivity and the larger kinetic energy of the gas at the collapse that is transferred to heat when the collapse stops. Due to the higher maximum temperature and the lower ionization potential, sonoluminescence from heavier noble gas is brighter. For diatomic gases, the maximum bubble temprature is lower than that of noble gases except helium due to the larger molar heat, which results in much dimmer sonoluminescence.
