Phonation aerodynamics estimated from vocal tract acoustics*

Measurements in a model of the human upper airway are presented.  The model was comprised of a 2.54cm square duct, with molded rubber vocal folds that divided the duct into trachea and vocal tract sections.  Synchronous measurements of pressure using two Kulite XCS-093 pressure transducers and 5 Larson-Davis ½" microphones, distributed over the length of the duct, and high-frame rate imaging of the glottis were performed for a range of subglottal pressures.  Cross-spectral analysis of acoustic pressure measurements were used to extrapolate acoustic pressure and volume flow throughout the duct.  This information was then used to compute integral quantities such as glottal volume flow, vocal fold drag, and power flows between laryngeal flow and the trachea and vocal tract acoustic fields.