Don Ross

Don Ross (June 9, 1922 – August 24, 2015) was a civilian submariner and acoustics expert. From 1945 to 1987, Ross worked largely with the US Navy, making developments in reduction of submarine detection and underwater noise. Ross is credited with discovering that low-frequency ocean ambient noise is largely determined by shipping, and that ocean ambient noise has been steadily increasing due to human activities. He also made the first detailed measurements of the noise characteristics of nuclear submarines.

Early life Ross was born in 1922, in New York City. Originally interested in Egyptology in his years of high school (as well as knowing the ancient Egyptian alphabet), Ross attended DeWitt Clinton High School before transferring to Riverdale Country School; both in the Bronx. He was accepted to the University of Chicago as an Archaeology major in 1939, on the eve of WWII. Ross' headmaster at Riverdale persuaded him "in view of the world situation" to apply to Harvard as a Physics major instead. From there, he graduated in 1942 with a BS in Physics, going on to complete his PhD in Applied Physics & Engineering Science from Harvard in 1953.

Tetra Tech

In 1972, Ross began work at Tetra Tech in Rosslyn, Virginia under the premise that he and his family would be moved to San Diego after completion of a study for the Navy regarding a proposed cruise missile submarine. A computer model, SubSim, was to be used to simulate encounters between the new sub and a postulated Soviet submarine. The only problem was that these encounters would all involve sonars detecting the opponent’s radiated noise and Ross was to be the only person on the staff who had background knowledge in such matters.

The simulations needed characteristics of Soviet submarines ten years in the future. The Navy had an official threat document; but that assumed that the Russians would just copy the quiet subs of the US, lagging at least five years. Dick Robinson and Ross designed their own threat and presented it to a Navy group headed by Admiral Ed Waller. After his 15-minute talk, the Admiral said he had heard many threat presentations and he could never tell which were based on hard intelligence, which were based on engineering calculation, and which were political. “Which is yours?” he asked Ross, who responded with “all three, Admiral” After which he repeated the talk giving the source type of each item. And, finally “the 35 knots speed is because Rickover wants to build a new 35-knot submarine.” The Admiral was so pleased that he invited Ross to present his talk to a senior group in the Pentagon. And soon their threat was adopted as the Navy’s official threat.

In 1973, Ross and his family made the official move to San Diego. Ross served as the VP of Tetra Tech systems, and continued to do so until 1983. From 1976 to 1979, Ross also served as the Deputy Director of the SACLANT ASW Research Centre in La Spezia, Italy. In 1976, he authored Mechanics of Underwater Noise.

Post career Ross spent his retired years as a dedicated volunteer and public servant. He was a five-year volunteer with the San Diego Police Department Domestic Violence Unit, a member of the Catfish Club, and involved with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of San Dieguito. He immersed himself in the study of cardiology, and studied the impact of statins on the elderly. He also studied and lectured on climate change.

Personal life Ross married his first wife Harriet May Murphy in 1942. They had three sons (Franklin, Bill, and Andy) before divorcing in October 1972.

Ross married Nancy Martin in November 1972. They remained together until her death in May 2010.

Awards He received the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award for “solution of numerous urgent and important submarine operational problems.”

Ross was a fellow of the Acoustical Society of America.