A subharmonic route to chaos including period-doubling bifurcations up to $\frac{f}{8}$ has been observed in experiments on acoustical turbulence (acoustic cavitation noise). The system also shows signs of reverse bifurcation with increasing control parameter (acoustic driving pressure amplitude). In view of the large variety of phenomena observed and yet to be expected the system investigated may well serve as a further experimental paradigm of nonlinear dynamical systems besides Rayleigh-Bénard and circular couette flow.

• Received 14 September 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.47.1445