High-speed observation of the piston effect near the gas-liquid critical point.

We investigated adiabatic changes in a near-critical fluid on acoustic time scales using an ultrasensitive interferometer. A sound emitted by very weak continuous heating caused a stepwise adiabatic change at its front with a density change of order 10(-7) g/cm(3) and a temperature change of order 10(-5) K. Very small heat inputs at a heater produced short acoustic pulses with width of order 10 micros, which were broadened as they moved through the cell and interacted with the boundaries. The pulse broadening became enhanced near the critical point. We also examined theoretically how sounds are emitted from a heater and how applied heat is transformed into mechanical work. Our predictions agree well with our data.