Maris ABELE
Born: April 27, 1937, Riga, Latvia
Interests:
- Astronomy
- Astrometry and Celestial Mechanics
- Satellite Laser Rangingl Instrumets
Brief Description of Research:
Since 1960 M.Abele has headed a group of scientists and has taken an active part in the
designing process of high precision instruments, like photographic cameras and satellite
laser ranging equipment for observation - photo taking, distance measurements, Moon and
satellite tracking - of numerous artificial satellites of the Earth. These instruments, of
which more than 200 have been produced or manufactured to equip not only the
satellite observation stations of the former USSR, but also those of numerous other
states, like Egypt, France, Cuba, Bulgaria, Poland, Bolivia, Germany, India, Japan and
other.
A special place among other instruments designed by M.Abele is taken by camera AFU-75,
most widely used and best known device of those days considerably surpassed any of the
existing analogues designed abroad. It was used in astronomical observatories of the USSR,
France, Bolivia, Chad, Mali, Mozambique, India, Japan, Ecuador, Somalia, Egypt, Cuba,
Mongolia and many other countries.
It must be noted, however, that in the age of modern technologies the laser ranging
telescope LS-105 designed by M.Abele ranks prominent among the best astronomical
instruments of this kind in the world, and is used for laser ranging under internationally
coordinated research programs not only in Latvia (LU Institute of Astronomy in
Riga), but also in Germany (GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/pbl/SLR/slr.htm),
Finland (Finnish Institute of Geodesy) and the Ukraine (Lvov State University and Crimea)
providing these programs with observation data characterised by highest available
precision level.
Languages: Latvian, Russian, English
Education
- University of Latvia (Faculty of Physics and Mathematics), 1960
- Dr.phys. (Candidate of Science of Physics and Mathematics in former USSR, Ph.D. in
Western countries), M.Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia, 1964
Thesis: Photographic camera with speed compensation for observation of artificial
satellites of the Earth.
- Senior Researcher in astronomy, astrometry and celestial mechanics, USSR Supreme
Certification Commission, 1973.
Experience
- Engineer, Senior Engineer, Senior Researcher, Leading Researcher - Astronomical
Observatory, University of Latvia, 1960-1997
- Engineer-physicist - Optical Mechanical Factory, Riga, 1963-1990
- Leading Researcher - Institute of Astronomy, University of
Latvia, 1997 -
- Director - Institute of Astronomy, University of
Latvia, 2006 -
Honours and Awards
- Corresponding Member, Latvian Academy of Sciences, 2001
- Award of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, Joint Stock Company "Latvijas Gaisa
Satiksme" and the Educational Foundation of Latvia, 2003
- The Latvian Academy of Sciences Fridrich Cander Prize
in Astronomy for design and automation of astrometrical instruments, 2000
- Silver Medal, National Economy Achievements Exibition for design of photographic camera
AFU-75 for observation of artificial satellites of the Earth, Moscow, Russia, 1968.
Professional Activities and Memberships
Recent/Representative Publications
M.Abele has published over 30 scientific papers, yet his greatest merit
and the most significant part of his research activities have found expression in about 30
patents (USSR, Germany, Bulgaria), of which several have been marked for internal
use only in USSR.
- K.Shteins, M.Abele. The expansion of the association Cephei II. Astronomisheskii
Zhurnal, 1958, vol. 35, N 1, pp. 82-85 (in Russian)
- M.Abele. The utilization of long-focus cameras for determination of the coordinates of
faint artificial satellites. Astronomisheskii Zhurnal, 1960, vol. 27, N 1,
pp. 140-145 (in Russian)
- M.Abele. Photoelectric zenith tube for observation of stars at equal zenithal distance).
Acta Universitatis Latviensis, Riga, 1969, vol.121, pp. 49-105 (in Russian)
- M.Abele. K.Lapushka. Astronomical Photographic Device AFU-75 for Observation of
Artificial Satellites of the Earth, Riga, 1970, 165 p. (in Russian)
- M.Abele, J.Vjaters. Computation of ephemerids of the artificial Earth satellite for
satellite trackers with four axes mountings. In: Observations of Artificial
Earth Satellites, 1974, N 14, Bucuresti: Editura academei Republicii Socialiste
Romania, 1975, pp.585-598.
- M.Abele, et al. Laser network design for the Moon and artificial Earth satellite
ranging. - Proceedings of the Internat. Conference on Earth Rotation and the Terrestial
Reference Frame, USA, Ohio, Columbus, 1985, vol.1, 5 p.
- M.Abele, J.Balodis, A.Kalnins, A.Rubans, O.West, J.Vjaters. Collocation results of new
satellite ranging system. - GB 12C-09, - Proc. IUGG XXI General Assembly, Boulder,
Colorado, USA, 1995, 2 p.
- M.Abele. Collimation of optical systems of telescope TPL-1. - Acta Universitatis
Latviensis, Riga, 1995, vol. 600, Astronomy, ser. 20, Satellite Laser Ranging, p.
5-10. (in Russian)
- M.Abele, J.Balodis, A.Kalnins, A.Rubans, J.Vjaters, O.West, A.Zarins. Portable satellite
laser ranging system. - Proceedings of 9th International Laser Ranging
Workshop, Canberra, Australia, 1996.
- M.Abele, J.Balodis, L.Brodie-Hall, W.Decker, U.K.Rao, A.Rubans, O.West, J.Vjaters,
A.Zarins. Field tests of GPS steered portable satellite laser ranging system. - Proceedings
of IAG Symposium, Ankara-1996, München, 1996, pp. 319-324.
- E.Bervalds, G.Ozolinsh, Z.Sika, D.Bezrukovs, A.Pavenis A, M.Abele. The VIRAC 32-metre
antenna: Reconstruction of the system of tracking and guidance. Latvian Journal
of Physics and Technical Sciences, 1998, N 6, pp. 12-19.
- M.Abele, A.Pavenis A., I.Vilks, J.Ozols. Computer control of the radiotelescope RT-32
positioning. - Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical Sciences, 1998, Nr. 6, p.
20-26. (in Latvian)
- M.Abele, J.Balodis, K.Balodis, A.Rubans. The version of the SLR mount for low orbital
satellite observation. - Proceedings of IAG Internat. Symposium on Gravity, Geoid and
Geodinamics 2000, July 31-August 4, 2000, Banff, Alberta, Canada, 3p.
- M.Abele, L. Osipova. Determination of NEO orbits based on laser ranging measurements.
Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical Sciences, ISSN 0868-8257, 2004, Nr.
1, pp. 31-36.
- M. Abele, I.Vilks, D.Bezrukov, Z.Sika. Measurements of the reflecting surfaces of RT-32
radiotelescope. Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical Sciences, ISSN
0868-8257, 2004, Nr. 2, pp. 46-53.
- M.Abele, A.Balklavs-Grinhofs, L.Osipova. Possibility of minor planets distance
measurement with laser ranging device. Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical
Sciences, ISSN 0868-8257, 2004, Nr. 2, pp. 54-61.
- M. Abele, J.Vjaters, A.Ubelis, L. Osipova. A telescope to spot space objects from
the Earth surface. - Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical Sciences, 2005,
Nr. 3, pp. 20-28.
Research Projects
- M.Abele (Head of Project). Development and Testing of a New Device for Measurements of
the Range of Satellites of the Earth. Latvian Council of
Science (1997- 2000)
- M.Abele (Head of Project). Spectral Observations of Stars and Determination of
Coordinates of Minor Planets Using CCD Cameras. Latvian
Council of Science (2001 -2003)
- M.Abele (Head of Project). Development of High-resolution Spectrograph
for Star and Minor Planet Observation in Real Time. Latvian
Council of Science (2004 -)
Last update 18.01.2007