Critical phenomena and new effects in the physical acoustics of solids

Experimental results on the variations of the acoustical parameters of crystal in the vicinity of their critical states are given; these variations represent new effects in the physical acoustics of solid, called acoustic splitting and internal friction oscillations. The new effects are illustrated in potassium nitrite and potassium nitrate, thallium nitrate, ammonium perchlorate, silver azide, and in high-temperature superconductors made from yttrium—barium cuprate. Three types of acoustic splitting are discussed, depending on the nature of the phase transition and other factors. An approach is proposed as a possible means of explaining the observed effects on the basis of the notion of anomalous heterophase fluctuations.