The basilar membrane’s mechanics enable the inner ear’s frequency analysis

Evidence

The basilar membrane is responsible for carrying out a frequency analysis of input sounds. In shape, the basilar membrane is both narrow and thin at the base end of the cochlea, becoming both wider and thicker along its length to the apex, as illustrated in Figure 2.4. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 547

Categorization

• DEFINE: Establishes the basilar membrane’s role as the cochlea’s primary frequency-analyzing structure.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 547
• XREF: connects to: Frequency sorting in the basilar membrane can be reproduced in physical models; Frequency-domain analysis mirrors how the human ear processes sound — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 377; Broad-spectrum sounds read as louder because auditory bands integrate across the basilar membrane (+12 more)

Broader Connections

• Each basilar membrane location acts as a bandpass filter tuned to a center frequency #expands (0.93) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 595
• Frequency discrimination depends on basilar membrane displacement separation #expands (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 573
• Two frequencies can mechanically generate sum and difference frequencies in the ear #expands (0.85)
• Basilar membrane displacement produces an asymmetric filter response across frequency. #expands (0.82) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 593
• Just-noticeable frequency shifts map to constant basilar distances #expands (0.80) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 929
• Suppression tuning curves mirror inner-ear neurophysiological frequency selectivity #corroborates (0.78)
• Timbre perception arises from basilar membrane vibration patterns, not pitch alone #expands (0.75) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 783