Karl Ramsayer
Encyclopedia
Karl Ramsayer was a German geodesist and is well known as one of the most important scientists in geodetic astronomy
and in electronic navigation
.
In the 1950s Ramsayer became professor at the Geodetic Institute of the University of Stuttgart
. In the following years he founded the Institut für Navigation which he developed to a leading research institute in the fields of avionics
. Many patent
s in automatic positioning
methods and air guidance systems have their origin in Stuttgart research projects.
, automatic navigation maps based on Doppler radar
, and improvements in astro navigation. Long series of NATO test flights showed the advantages of combining different positioning methods (integrated navigation). He is the author of some hundred special articles in scientific journals and author or coauthor of some dozen research reports.
In geodesy
and geosciences, Ramsayer's priority was the integration of electronic and astronomic observation methods to improve the mutual quality and the strength of networks. Another focus was analyses of the interdependence of accuracy and systematic error
s. One of his major works late in life was volume IIa of the Handbuch der Vermessungskunde, published in 1968.
Ramsayer retired from the geodetic institute in May 1980 and from flight navigation in 1981. His successors were Erik Grafarend in the area of geodesy and Philipp Hartl in the area of navigation. Ramsayer was honoured by several academic prizes and made an honorary doctor
; in 1982 he got the most important prize in Austria
n geodesy, the Friedrich Hopfner
medal.
He died near Stuttgart.
Geodetic astronomy
Geodetic astronomy is the application of astronomical methods into networks and technical projects of geodesy.The most important topics are:* Establishment of geodetic datum systems Geodetic astronomy is the application of astronomical methods into networks and technical projects of geodesy.The...
and in electronic navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
.
In the 1950s Ramsayer became professor at the Geodetic Institute of the University of Stuttgart
University of Stuttgart
The University of Stuttgart is a university located in Stuttgart, Germany. It was founded in 1829 and is organized in 10 faculties....
. In the following years he founded the Institut für Navigation which he developed to a leading research institute in the fields of avionics
Avionics
Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
. Many patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
s in automatic positioning
Positioning
Positioning may refer to:* Positioning , creating an identity in the minds of a target market* Positioning , reader context* Positioning , a technology to approximate where a mobile phone temporarily resides...
methods and air guidance systems have their origin in Stuttgart research projects.
Work on navigation and geodesy
Much of Ramsayer's research on navigation concerned dead reckoningDead reckoning
In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating one's current position by using a previously determined position, or fix, and advancing that position based upon known or estimated speeds over elapsed time, and course...
, automatic navigation maps based on Doppler radar
Doppler radar
A Doppler radar is a specialized radar that makes use of the Doppler effect to produce velocity data about objects at a distance. It does this by beaming a microwave signal towards a desired target and listening for its reflection, then analyzing how the frequency of the returned signal has been...
, and improvements in astro navigation. Long series of NATO test flights showed the advantages of combining different positioning methods (integrated navigation). He is the author of some hundred special articles in scientific journals and author or coauthor of some dozen research reports.
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...
and geosciences, Ramsayer's priority was the integration of electronic and astronomic observation methods to improve the mutual quality and the strength of networks. Another focus was analyses of the interdependence of accuracy and systematic error
Systematic error
Systematic errors are biases in measurement which lead to the situation where the mean of many separate measurements differs significantly from the actual value of the measured attribute. All measurements are prone to systematic errors, often of several different types...
s. One of his major works late in life was volume IIa of the Handbuch der Vermessungskunde, published in 1968.
Ramsayer retired from the geodetic institute in May 1980 and from flight navigation in 1981. His successors were Erik Grafarend in the area of geodesy and Philipp Hartl in the area of navigation. Ramsayer was honoured by several academic prizes and made an honorary doctor
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
; in 1982 he got the most important prize in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n geodesy, the Friedrich Hopfner
Friedrich Hopfner
Friedrich Hopfner was an Austrian geodesist, geophysicist and planetary scientist.As an officer of the Austro-Hungarian Empire he began his scientific work at the Bureau of Meteorology...
medal.
He died near Stuttgart.
Important publications and sources
- Geodätische Astronomie (1969): Volume IIa of Handbuch der Vermessungskunde (900 p.), J.B. Metzler/ Stuttgart
- TACAN and Doppler radar; Automatische Koppelkarte; Integrated Geodesy. NATO research papers, 1965-1970
- FestkolloquiumFestivalA festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
9 May 1980 on the occasion of retirement of o. Prof. Dr-Ing. Karl Ramsayer. Geodätisches Institut der Universität Stuttgart, DGK Reihe E/19, Munich 1981, ISBN 3-7696-9664-6 - Festvortrag (Ceremonial address) at the TU Vienna (1982), and overview on Ramsayers scientific work: Österr. Zeitschrift für Vermessungswesen und Photogrammetrie (ÖZfVuPh) Vol.70, p.231-233, Verlag Rohrer, Baden bei Wien.