Maris ABELE

Dr.phys. Maris ABELE Director, Institute of Astronomy University of Latvia Raina bulv. 19 Riga, LV 1586 Latvia Phone: +371 7034589 Fax: +371 7034582 E-mail: maris.abele@lu.lv

Born: April 27, 1937, Riga, Latvia

• Astronomy
• Astrometry and Celestial Mechanics
• Satellite Laser Rangingl Instrumets

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

• 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

• Senior Researcher in astronomy, astrometry and celestial mechanics, USSR Supreme Certification Commission, 1973.

• 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 -

• 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.

• Member, International Astronomical Union, 1973 -
• Member, Latvian Astronomical Society, 1955 -
• Member, Expert Commission in Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy, Latvian Council of Science, 2003 -

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 9^th 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.

• 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