Second sound and ballistic heat conduction: NaF experiments revisited

Second sound phenomenon and ballistic heat conduction, the two wave like propagation modes of heat, are the two most prominent, experimentally observed non-Fourier effects of heat conduction. In this paper we compare three related theories by quantitatively analyzing the crucial NaF experiments of Jackson, Walker and McNelly, where these effects were observed together. We conclude that with the available information the best comparison and insight is provided by non-equilibrium thermodynamics with internal variables. However, the available data and information is not the best, and further, new experiments are necessary.