Synchronization of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions to a 2f1-f2 distortion product.

Synchronization of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions to a cubic distortion frequency fs = 2f1-f2 has been studied. Stimulus, consisting of two primary tones at frequency f1 and f2, could easily be filtered out of the microphone signal. This enabled us to monitor emission phase with respect to synchronization frequency fs, by recording zero-crossing moments of the microphone signal. When primaries were sufficiently loud (typically 30 dB SPL), phase fluctuated around a constant value: The emission was constantly synchronized to fs. Lowering primary levels (to typically 20 dB SPL) resulted in 2 pi-phase jumps at random moments: The emission occasionally slipped out of synchronization, trying to maintain its own natural frequency f0. This behavior can be described as synchronization of an oscillator (frequency f0) to a sinusoidal force (frequency fs) in the presence of noise.