Experimental determination of cavitation thresholds in liquid water and mercury

An overview is provided on cavitation threshold measurement experiments for water and mercury. Various aspects to be considered that affect onset determination are discussed along with design specifications developed for construction of appropriate apparatus types. Both static and transient-cavitation effects were studied using radically different apparatus designs. Preliminary data are presented for cavitation thresholds for water and mercury over a range of temperatures in static and high-frequency environments. Implications and issues related to spallation neutron source target designs and operation are discussed.