Book excerpt: Spawned by growing interest in ultrasonic technology and new developments in ultrasonic melt processing, the Second Edition of Ultrasonic Treatment of Light Alloy Melts discusses use of ultrasonic melt treatment in direct-chill casting, shape casting, rapid solidification, zone refining, and more, exploring the effects of power ultrasound on melt degassing, filtration, and refinement in aluminum and magnesium alloys. The fully revised and restructured Second Edition: Contains new, in-depth coverage of composite and nanocomposite materials Provides a historical review of the last century of ultrasonic applications to metallurgy Emphasizes the fundamentals, mechanisms, and applications of ultrasonic melt processing in different light-metal technologies Features new chapters on ultrasonic grain refinement, refinement of primary solid phases, and semi-solid processing of billets with nondendritic structure Includes significant updates reflecting results obtained over the past two decades on different scales, from laboratory to full-scale industrial implementations Complete with many new figures and examples, Ultrasonic Treatment of Light Alloy Melts, Second Edition delivers a comprehensive treatise on ultrasonic melt processing and cavitation, presenting essential guidelines for practical use and further development of the technology.