We present a novel method of measuring the frequency dependent specific heat
at the glass transition applied to 5-polyphenyl-4-ether. The method employs
thermal waves effusing radially out from the surface of a spherical thermistor
that acts as both a heat generator and thermometer. It is a merit of the method
compared to planar effusion methods that the influence of the mechanical
boundary conditions are analytically known. This implies that it is the
longitudinal rather than the isobaric specific heat that is measured. As
another merit the thermal conductivity and specific heat can be found
independently. The method has highest sensitivity at a frequency where the
thermal diffusion length is comparable to the radius of the heat generator.
This limits in practise the frequency range to 2-3 decades. An account of the
3omega-technique used including higher order terms in the temperature
dependency of the thermistor and in the power generated is furthermore given.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures, Substantially revised versio