ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENT MODELS - A TRIBUTE TO R. BRUCE THOMPSON

Over the years, R. Bruce Thompson made many significant contributions to the scientific foundation and engineering application of nondestructive evaluation, most notably in the area of ultrasonics. Of those contributions, perhaps none is more notable than what has come to be known as the Thompson-Gray Measurement Model. Born from humble beginnings as a signal processing adjunct, the model has grown to maturity as a central element in many aspects of ultrasonic NDE, including probe design, UT system specification and optimization, model-assisted POD, and inspection simulation. This paper will be a stroll through the history of this model and its applications. It is a personal recollection of a body of work done with Bruce or as a direct result of Bruce's contributions. It is not intended to be a technical exposition, but a demonstration of the impact of this small segment of his expansive body work with which I had personal experience. It is my tribute to Bruce - boss, colleague, mentor, and friend.