Xavier Lurton

Xavier Lurton is an Affiliate Research Professor at the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM) at the University of New Hampshire. He holds a Ph.D. in applied acoustics from Universite du Maine (1979) and a physics degree from Universite de Bretagne Occidentale (1976). Currently managing an underwater acoustics research team at IFREMER (French oceanographic agency), he has spent over three decades advancing sonar technology and oceanographic research.

• Education:
  • Physics (Universite de Bretagne Occidentale, 1976)
  • Applied Acoustics (Universite du Maine, 1979)

His research focuses on underwater acoustics, particularly seafloor-mapping sonars, ocean tomography, and sonar system performance analysis. He has led collaborations with industry leaders like Kongsberg and Reson for sonar development and participated in numerous marine technology trials.

At IFREMER (since 1989), Lurton has specialized in underwater propagation modeling, data transmission, and fisheries sonar. He is also a dedicated educator, teaching underwater acoustics for 20 years across French universities, and authored the textbook An Introduction to Underwater Acoustics (Springer, 2010).

Professional Affiliations:

• IFREMER (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea), Brest
• CCOM/JHC (University of New Hampshire), Visiting Scholar (2012)

His career spans academia, industry (Thomson-Sintra/Thales Underwater Systems), and government research, with expertise in both physical modeling and sonar engineering.