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About

Harry J. Simpson is a leading experimentalist in underwater acoustics and seismo-acoustic propagation, with a career focused on advancing the measurement and modeling of sound interaction with the seafloor. His core research spans acoustic penetration into sediments, structural acoustics of submerged objects, and target scattering in littoral environments. Simpson’s most impactful work, "At-sea measurements of sound penetration into sediments using a buried vertical synthetic array" (2003, 17 citations), pioneered a novel buried hydrophone array system to capture in-situ acoustic data in sandy bottoms, directly informing sediment acoustics models. He also led the "Comparison of simulations and data from a seismo-acoustic tank experiment" (2007, 15 citations), which validated range-dependent propagation models using high-quality experimental data from elastic bottoms. Notably, Simpson developed an all-fiber optic multi-axis laser vibrometer system for measuring full 3D velocity vectors on submerged shell surfaces (1996), a unique capability in structural acoustics. His work includes very-low-frequency scattering experiments using a custom 55-m rail in St. Andrews Bay (2003) and the creation of a state-of-the-art laboratory at NRL with a 600,000-liter tank for studying buried object scattering. Though his citation counts are modest, Simpson’s contributions are foundational to experimental underwater acoustics, providing critical data for model validation and advancing the understanding of sound in complex marine environments.