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Viktor T. Toth
Senior Research Fellow, Systems and Computer Engineering

Research interests

Precision spacecraft navigation, satellite position systems, satellite gravimetry, transportation

Application areas

  • Aerospace
  • Intelligent transportation systems

 

Viktor is a software architect, professional software developer and part-time physicist living in Ottawa.

As an IT professional, Viktor developed some complex software applications, including ISOC, the Integrated Spectrum Observation Centre, a software suite used by the Government of Canada to monitor the analog radio spectrum across the country for compliance and interference investigations. Viktor also authored significant studies, including the Automation Master Plan of the Canadian Patent Office in 1988. In recent years, Viktor assisted in the development of the IT infrastructure of an integrated traffic management center in the Middle East.

Additionally, Viktor wrote several books for IT professionals, including a best-selling series on the Visual C++ development environment.

Viktor also works part-time as a physicist. His most significant contribution to date was the lead role he played in the investigation of the Pioneer Anomaly, the anomalous acceleration of the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft in deep space. Ultimately, Viktor and colleagues demonstrated successfully that the anomalous effect is due to heat generated on-board and emitted anisotropically by the spacecraft. As part of the investigation, telemetry data from spacecraft sensors were used in an integrated model that estimated electrical power consumption, heat generation and ultimately, heat emission from the spacecraft. Viktor also did research in gravitational theory and quantum field theory, and is one of the maintainers of the open-source Maxima computer algebra system, specifically its tensor algebra modules.

For more information, please visit Viktor's Web site.

Select publications:

  1. General relativistic observables for the ACES experiment, Slava G. Turyshev, Nan Yu, and Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:1512.09019, Phys. Rev. D 93, 045027 (2016); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.93.045027
  2. TianQin: a space-borne gravitational wave detector, Jun Luo, Li-Sheng Chen, Hui-Zong Duan, Yun-Gui Gong, Shoucun Hu, Jianghui Ji, Qi Liu, Jianwei Mei, Vadim Milyukov, Mikhail Sazhin, Cheng-Gang Shao, Viktor T. Toth, Hai-Bo Tu, Yamin Wang, Yan Wang, Hsien-Chi Yeh, Ming-Sheng Zhan, Yonghe Zhang, Vladimir Zharov and Ze-Bing Zhou, Class. Quant. Grav. 33 (2016) 035010, DOI: 10.1088/0264-9381/33/3/035010
  3. Evolution and dynamical properties of Bose-Einstein condensate dark matter stars, Eniko J. M. Madarassy and Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:1412.7152, Phys. Rev. D 91, 044041 (2015); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.91.044041Featured in the February 2015 Kaleidoscope and on the 2016 APS print calendar.
  4. Rotational Velocity Curves in the Milky Way as a Test of Modified Gravity, J. W. Moffat and V. T. Toth, arXiv:1411.6701,Phys. Rev. D 91, 043004 (2015); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.91.043004
  5. General relativistic laser interferometric observables of the GRACE-Follow-On mission, Slava G. Turyshev, Mikhail V. Sazhin and Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:1402.7111 [gr-qc], Phys. Rev. D 89, 105029 (2014); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.89.105029
  6. Humidification requirements in economizer-type HVAC systems, ASHRAE Transactions 119(1) (2013), DA-13-022
  7. General relativistic observables of the GRAIL mission, Slava G. Turyshev, Viktor T. Toth and Mikhail V. Sazhin, arXiv:1212.0232 [gr-qc], Phys. Rev. D 87, 024020 (2013); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.87.024020
  8. Support for the thermal origin of the Pioneer anomaly, Slava G. Turyshev, Viktor T. Toth, Gary Kinsella, Siu-Chun Lee, Shing M. Lok and Jordan Ellis, arXiv:1204.2507 [gr-qc], Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 241101 (2012); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.241101. Featured on the cover of Vol. 108, Iss. 24 (June 15, 2012)
  9. Support for temporally varying behavior of the Pioneer anomaly from the extended Pioneer 10 and 11 Doppler data sets, Slava G. Turyshev, Viktor T. Toth, Jordan Ellis and Craig B. Markwardt, arXiv:1107.2886 [gr-qc], Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 081103 (2011); DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.081103
  10. The virial theorem and planetary atmospheres, Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:1002.2980 [physics.gen-ph], Időjárás - Quarterly Journal of the Hungarian Meteorological Service (HMS), Vol. 114, No. 3, pp. 229-234
  11. The Pioneer Anomaly, Slava G. Turyshev and Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:1001.3686 [gr-qc], Living Revs. Relativity 13, (2010), 4
  12. The Puzzle of the Flyby Anomaly, Slava G. Turyshev and Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:0907.4184 [gr-qc] Space Science Reviews 148(1), 169-174 (2010), DOI: 10.1007/s11214-009-9571-0
  13. Thermal recoil force, telemetry, and the Pioneer anomaly, Viktor T. Toth and Slava G. Turyshev, arXiv:0901.4597 [physics.space-ph], Phys. Rev. D. 79, 043011 (2009), DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.79.043011
  14. Independent analysis of the orbits of Pioneer 10 and 11, Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:0901.3466 [gr-qc], Int. J. Mod. Phys. D18 (2009) 5, 717-741, DOI: 10.1142/S0218271809014728
  15. Physics Engineering in the Study of the Pioneer Anomaly, Slava G. Turyshev and Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:0710.0191 [physics.space-ph], invited talk at the "IV Physics Engineering International Meeting," Mexico City, Mexico, 15-19 October 2007
  16. The Study of the Pioneer Anomaly: New Data and Objectives for New Investigation, Slava G. Turyshev, Viktor T. Toth, Larry R. Kellogg, Eunice. L. Lau, Kyong J. Lee, arXiv:gr-qc/0512121 Int. J. Mod. Phys. D15 (2006) 1, 1-56, DOI:10.1142/S0218271806008218
  17. Tensor manipulation in GPL Maxima, Viktor T. Toth, arXiv:cs/0503073
  18. Linux: A Network Solution for Your Office, SAMS Publishing, 1999
  19. Visual C++ 4 Unleashed, SAMS Publishing, 1996