Polarization Vectors of Plane Waves in Semi-Isotropic Thermoelastic Micropolar Solids

The present paper deals with problems of propagation of coupled time-harmonic waves of temperature increment, translational and spinor displacements in a semi-isotropic thermoelastic solid. The governing couple partial differential equations of semi-isotropic thermoelastic solids are revisited. Dispersion equations for the wavenumbers of plane harmonic coupled thermoelastic longitudinal waves (bicubic equation) and transverse wave (biquartic equation) are obtained and solved. The roots of mentioned algebraic equations are calculated and normal wavenumbers are discriminated. The spatial polarizations of coupled time-harmonic thermoelastic waves have been studied. It is shown that the transverse plane wave carrying the two spatial polarizations in fact does not exist and can not be observed in semi-isotropic micropolar media due to existence of direct and mirror wavemodes.