Small amplitude non-linearities in the mechanical response of an asynchronous flight muscle

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Abstract
Sinusoidal length deformations were applied to bundles of one to three fibres from glycerol-extractedLethocerus flight muscle under conditions of high calcium activation (pCa=6) and in the absence of phosphate. The mechanical response was found to be significantly non-linear under these conditions for amplitudes of the order of 0.05% and greater. The non-linearity was analysed into harmonic components by Fourier analysis, data for this being collected and stored in a computer. The largest harmonic components were found to be the first and second; these components were particularly prominent at frequencies close to those producing maximum phase shift between length and fundamental tension amplitude. At very low amplitudes (Lethocerus flight muscle. The variation of the response with imposed conditions has been studied.