Veikko Aleksanteri Heiskanen Explained

Veikko Aleksanteri Heiskanen (V. A. Heiskanen; also spelled Weikko Aleksanteri (or W. A.) Heiskanen; 23 July 1895 – 23 October 1971) was a Finnish geodesist and geophysicist.^{[1] [2]} He was known for his refinement of George Biddell Airy and John Henry Pratt's theories of isostasy into his own, the Heiskanen hypothesis.^{[3] [4]} With Felix Andries Vening Meinesz, he wrote the textbook The Earth and its Gravity Field (1958),^{[5] [6]} and in 1960 a paper by Heiskanen, "The latest achievements of physical geodesy" was discussed in the scientific literature.^[7] With Helmut Moritz, Heiskanen wrote the textbook Physical Geodesy (1967), which became a standard text the field of geodesy and for the study of the geoid.^{[8] [9]} Heiskanen's doctoral students include Ivan I. Mueller.

Born 23 July 1895 in Kangaslampi, Finland, he grew up on a small farm. He attended the University of Helsinki and in three years received a Candidate in Philosophy degree (some texts state he received the Master of Science degree).^{[10] [11]} In 1927 he received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the university.^[12]

The Kaarina and Weikko A. Heiskanen Fund endows the Kaarina and Weikko A. Heiskanen Award,^[13] which is awarded annually by the Ohio State University.^[14] The university hosted the Weikko A. Heiskanen Symposium in Geodesy in 2002 to celebrate that geodesy had been studied at Ohio State for 50 years.^[15]

A book, Surveyor of the Globe, was written as a biography of Heiskanen by and published in 2008 and 2017.^{[16] [17]}

Career chronology

• Senior geodesist – Finnish Geodetic Institute (1921–1928)
• Lecturer in geodesy – University of Helsinki (1926–?)
• Professor of geodesy – Finland Institute of Technology (1928–1949)
• Chief of the Geodetic Section – Finland Institute of Technology (1935–1949)
• Director – International Isostatic Institute (1936–?)
• Member – Finnish Parliament (1933–1936)
• Chairman – Finnish Geographical Society (1941–1942)

Source: Nature, 1949.^[18]

Further reading

• Juhani Kakkuri, "Maapallon mittaaja" Maankäyttö
• Jari Juutilainen, "V. A. Heiskanen Memorial" Taurus Hill Observatory
• Jarkko Koskinen "The man who took us to the Moon, Prof V. A. Heiskanen" National Land Survey of Finland
• Martin Vermeer Physical Geodesy

Notes and References

1. Web site: Veikko Heiskanen . 16 March 2024 . Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
2. Cook . A. H. . 21 July 1956 . Prof. W. A. Heiskanen: Sixtieth Birthday Volume . . en . 178 . 4525 . 111–112 . 10.1038/178111a0.
3. Book: Holmes, Gillian S. . The Gale Encyclopedia of Science . 2014 . . Lerner . K. Lee . 5th . 4 . 2436–2438 . Isostasy . . Lerner . Brenda Wilmoth.
4. Web site: Heiskanen hypothesis . 16 March 2024 . Britannica.
5. Dicke . Robert H. . Robert H. Dicke . 20 February 1959 . The Earth and its Gravity Field . Book Reviews . . en . 129 . 3347 . 460 . 10.1126/science.129.3347.460.b.
6. Korff . Serge A. . May 1959 . The Earth and Its Gravity Field . Books . . en . 12 . 5 . 44–46 . 10.1063/1.3060812.
7. O'Keefe . John A. . John A. O'Keefe (astronomer) . June 1961 . Discussion of paper by W. A. Heiskanen, "The latest achievements of physical geodesy" . Letters to the Editor . . en . 66 . 6 . 1992 . 10.1029/JZ066i006p01992.
8. J. E. J. . 4 June 1967 . Physical Geodesy . Reviews . . 104 . 3 . 302 . 10.1017/S0016756800048834.
9. Robbins . A. R. . 12 August 1967 . Text for Geodesists . Book Reviews . . en . 215 . 5102 . 793 . 10.1038/215793a0.
10. Kakkuri . Juhani . 2009 . Veikko Heiskanen and Helmut Moritz . Sitzungsberichte der Leibniz-Sozietät der Wissenschaften zu Berlin . 104 . 57–63 . 978-3-89626-884-6 . 0947-5850.
11. Book: Ahonen, Kathleen . Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography . Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography . 2008 . . 17 . 403–404 . Heiskanen, Weikko Aleksanteri . . https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/heiskanen-weikko-aleksanteri . Encyclopedia.com.
12. Web site: Karttunen . Hannu . Heiskanen, Weikko Aleksanteri (1895-1971) . 2024-03-17 . University of Turku.
13. Web site: Kaarina and Weikko A. Heiskanen Award Endowed Fund for Excellence in Geodetic Science . 2024-03-17 . School of Earth Sciences . Ohio State University.
14. Web site: Kaarina and Weikko A. Heiskanen Fund . 2024-03-17 . School of Earth Sciences . Ohio State University.
15. Web site: Shum . C.K. . Jan 23, 2002 . [IGSMAIL-3709]

    Heiskanen Symposium in Geodesy, Oct 1-4, 2002, Columbus, OH, USA ]

    . 2024-03-17 . International GNSS Service. (See Proceedings)
16. Grafarend . Erik W. . October 2017 . Tóth . Gyula . Book Review: Juhani A. Kakkuri: Surveyor of the Globe. Story of the life of V.A.Heiskanen . IAG Newsletter . . 14–16.
17. Poutanen . Markku . Kuusniemi . Heidi . August–September 2022 . Tóth . Gyula . Obituary: Juhani Kakkuri (1933 - 2022) . IAG Newsletter . . 8–9.
18. 1 August 1949 . Finnish Geodetic Institute: Prof. W. A. Heiskanen . News . . en . 164 . 4162 . 214 . 10.1038/164214b0.