Petr Vanícek
Encyclopedia
Petr Vaníček is a Czech Canadian
geodesist and theoretical geophysicist who has made important breakthroughs in theory of spectral analysis
and geoid
computation. He initiated the establishing of the Canadian Geophysical Union
in 1974, and served as the Union's president between 1986 and 1988. He was the first chairman
of the committee
for Geodetic Aspects of the Law of the Sea
(GALOS), founded in Edinburgh
, Scotland
by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) in 1989
.
He was awarded the J. Tuzo Wilson Medal
in 1996 for outstanding contributions to Canadian geophysics. He is a fellow
of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
, of the American Geophysical Union
, and of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU). He was the first Canadian awarded the Senior Distinguished Scientist Fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
, and was a Senior Visiting Scientist with the U.S. National Academy of Sciences
. Over the course of his career, he taught or performed research at universities and labs across six continents, including the Royal Institute of Technology
and the USGS.
His book Geodesy: The Concepts, now translated into several languages, is a standard text for both undergraduate and graduate courses in geodesy
worldwide. He also served as Editor-in-Chief and a reviewer
for several scientific journal
s as well as on numerous scientific boards and committees.
One of his main contributions of general relevance is least-squares spectral analysis
, also called the Vaníček method, a frequency spectrum
computation method published in 1969 and 1971. The method is based on a least-squares fit of sinusoids to the data samples, and mitigates the drawbacks of applying Fourier analysis for analyzing long incomplete data records such as most natural
datasets. His discoveries in theoretical geophysics, the "Precise Geoid Solution" in particular, enable millimetre-to-centimetre accuracy in geoid computation
, an-order-of-magnitude improvement from previous solutions.
Since he was born into a typical bourgeois family, his wife and children requested to leave Communist Czechoslovakia
during the brief but liberal times of Prague Spring
. They were granted exit visa just before the Soviet invasion of 1968. The family reunited in England where he was staying on a 1967 Senior Research Fellowship at the University of Liverpool
. Together, they immigrated to Canada in 1969. He has one daughter and two sons. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2002, after more than thirty years of teaching at the University of Toronto
and the University of New Brunswick
. He lives in Fredericton, Canada
.
Czech Canadian
According to the 2006 Canadian census, there are 98,090 Canadians of full or partial Czech descent.-History:Czech immigration to Canada can be divided into four phases: 1880–1914, 1919–39, 1945–89, and 1990-2008. The first two phases were dominated by strong economic incentives for immigration...
geodesist and theoretical geophysicist who has made important breakthroughs in theory of spectral analysis
Spectral analysis
Spectral analysis or Spectrum analysis may refer to:* Spectrum analysis in chemistry and physics, a method of analyzing the chemical properties of matter from bands in their visible spectrum...
and geoid
Geoid
The geoid is that equipotential surface which would coincide exactly with the mean ocean surface of the Earth, if the oceans were in equilibrium, at rest , and extended through the continents . According to C.F...
computation. He initiated the establishing of the Canadian Geophysical Union
Canadian Geophysical Union
The Canadian Geophysical Union/Union géophysique canadienne began as a society dedicated to the scientific study of the solid earth and has evolved into one that is concerned with all aspects of the physical study of Earth and its space environment, including the Sun and solar system...
in 1974, and served as the Union's president between 1986 and 1988. He was the first chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
for Geodetic Aspects of the Law of the Sea
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea , also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty, is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea , which took place from 1973 through 1982...
(GALOS), founded in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) in 1989
1989 in science
The year 1989 in science and technology involved many significant events, some listed below.-Astronomy:* August – the asteroid 4769 Castalia is the first asteroid directly imaged, by radar from Arecibo....
.
He was awarded the J. Tuzo Wilson Medal
J. Tuzo Wilson Medal
The J. Tuzo Wilson Medal is given out annually by the Canadian Geophysical Union to recognize scientists who have made an outstanding contribution to the field of geophysics in Canada. Factors taken into account in the selection process include excellence in scientific or technical research,...
in 1996 for outstanding contributions to Canadian geophysics. He is a fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the scientific study of the Earth using geophysical and geodesic techniques. The IUGG was established in 1919. Some areas within its scope are environmental preservation, reduction of the effects of...
, of the American Geophysical Union
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union is a nonprofit organization of geophysicists, consisting of over 50,000 members from over 135 countries. AGU's activities are focused on the organization and dissemination of scientific information in the interdisciplinary and international field of geophysics...
, and of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU). He was the first Canadian awarded the Senior Distinguished Scientist Fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is a foundation set-up by the government of the Federal Republic and funded by the German Foreign Office, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and others for the promotion of international co-operation...
, and was a Senior Visiting Scientist with the U.S. National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. Over the course of his career, he taught or performed research at universities and labs across six continents, including the Royal Institute of Technology
Royal Institute of Technology
The Royal Institute of Technology is a university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH was founded in 1827 as Sweden's first polytechnic and is one of Scandinavia's largest institutions of higher education in technology. KTH accounts for one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education...
and the USGS.
His book Geodesy: The Concepts, now translated into several languages, is a standard text for both undergraduate and graduate courses in geodesy
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
worldwide. He also served as Editor-in-Chief and a reviewer
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
for several scientific journal
Scientific journal
In academic publishing, a scientific journal is a periodical publication intended to further the progress of science, usually by reporting new research. There are thousands of scientific journals in publication, and many more have been published at various points in the past...
s as well as on numerous scientific boards and committees.
One of his main contributions of general relevance is least-squares spectral analysis
Least-squares spectral analysis
Least-squares spectral analysis is a method of estimating a frequency spectrum, based on a least squares fit of sinusoids to data samples, similar to Fourier analysis...
, also called the Vaníček method, a frequency spectrum
Frequency spectrum
The frequency spectrum of a time-domain signal is a representation of that signal in the frequency domain. The frequency spectrum can be generated via a Fourier transform of the signal, and the resulting values are usually presented as amplitude and phase, both plotted versus frequency.Any signal...
computation method published in 1969 and 1971. The method is based on a least-squares fit of sinusoids to the data samples, and mitigates the drawbacks of applying Fourier analysis for analyzing long incomplete data records such as most natural
Natural
Natural is an adjective that refers to Nature.Natural may refer too:In science and mathematics:* Natural transformation, category theory in mathematics* Natural foods...
datasets. His discoveries in theoretical geophysics, the "Precise Geoid Solution" in particular, enable millimetre-to-centimetre accuracy in geoid computation
Computation
Computation is defined as any type of calculation. Also defined as use of computer technology in Information processing.Computation is a process following a well-defined model understood and expressed in an algorithm, protocol, network topology, etc...
, an-order-of-magnitude improvement from previous solutions.
Since he was born into a typical bourgeois family, his wife and children requested to leave Communist Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
during the brief but liberal times of Prague Spring
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II...
. They were granted exit visa just before the Soviet invasion of 1968. The family reunited in England where he was staying on a 1967 Senior Research Fellowship at the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
. Together, they immigrated to Canada in 1969. He has one daughter and two sons. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2002, after more than thirty years of teaching at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
. He lives in Fredericton, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
External links
- On-line geodesy resources
- Honoring the Academic Life of Petr Vaníček, (2002)
- UN Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, Accessed: 2 October 2007
- Vaníček P., Krakiwsky E.J. Geodesy: the Concepts, pp. 714, Elsevier (1986)
- Vaníček P., Christou N.T. Geoid and its Geophysical Interpretations, pp. 370, CRC Press (1993)
- Vaníček P. Online Tutorial in Geodesy, from: Associated Press Encyclopedia of Science & Technology (2001)
- Dr. Petr Vaníček's home page at the University of New Brunswick, Canada, Accessed: 2 October 2007