Sound signal reception method especially for short sound pulses

摘要

The method involves receiving sound signals, especially short acoustic pulses, propagating in a sound propagation medium. An electric glow discharge, with an essentially constant electric dark current, is generated in the medium between two electrodes. The sound signals are detected as temporal variations of the electric voltage and/or current between the electrodes. Alternatively, the temporal changes in brightness of the glow discharge are converted into a corresponding electric voltage, by a photoelement. A device for carrying out the method has an electric direct current source (56), and a glow discharge path (53) connected to the source. The glow discharge path is arranged in the sound propagation medium and has at least a cathode (52) and an anode (54). An arrangement for converting the discharge voltage or the discharge brightness is connected to the discharge path.