Clusters of Bloch waves in three-dimensional periodic media

Abstract

We consider acoustic wave propagation through a periodic array of the inclusions of arbitrary shape. The inclusion size is much smaller than the array period while the wavelength is fixed. We derive and rigorously justify the dispersion relation for general frequencies and show that there are exceptional frequencies for which the solution is a cluster of waves propagating in different directions with different frequencies so that the dispersion relation cannot be defined uniquely. Examples are provided for the spherical inclusions.