Anomalous ultrasonic attenuation in ferritic steels at elevated temperatures.

An unexpected peak in attenuation has been observed at ∼800°C when heating low carbon steels in a laser-ultrasonic instrument. An explanation is given in terms of enhanced crystalline anisotropy with increasing temperature in the bcc ferrite range combined with subsequent transformation to austenite at still higher temperatures. An analysis based on theoretical models of attenuation in the Rayleigh regime is in good agreement with the experimental observations.