Artsimovich Lev Andreevich, Soviet physicist: biography, scientific work

Lev Artsimovich is a famous Soviet scientist, the founder of the scientific school of controlled thermonuclear fusion, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of astronomy and atomic physics. It was under his leadership that the first thermonuclear reaction was performed in the laboratory. A man with a capital letter, who devoted his entire life to his favorite work - Lev Andreevich is a vivid example of professionalism, dedication, perseverance and courage. To him is attributed folk rumor the phrase: "Science is the best method of satisfaction at the expense of the state of its own curiosity."

Lev Andreevich Artsimovich: biography

Lev Artsimovich was born in Moscow on February 25, 1909. Mother - Olga Lvovna, came from a Jewish family, Andrei Mikhailovich - father, was of a noble family, subsequently impoverished. Artsimovichs lived in the capital until 1919, but due to the devastation and the food situation, they were forced to change their place of residence to Mogilev, where their father was offered the place of head of the statistical bureau. Then the relocation was again held: first to Gomel, after - to a small place Klintsy. However, the financial position of Artsimovichs deteriorated catastrophically, and, in the end, it became simply unbearable. Because of this, and in the hope of at least some stable feeding, parents were forced to identify their son in an orphanage. The boy could not stay in this institution and, preferring the way of life of the homeless child, fled from there. After the Civil War Artsimovichi, whose situation had improved somewhat, returned to Gomel, and Lev returned to his parents. Father by that time was appointed head of the department at the State Belarusian University. There after the graduation, his beloved son also entered.

Life Choice: Physics

The choice of the young man fell on the physics and mathematics department. The baggage of knowledge received during training, the purposeful young man seemed not enough, therefore to comprehend favorite science he went to Moscow, where for a whole year he was a visitor to various scientific libraries. In 1929, at his home university, he brilliantly defended his thesis on the topic of X-ray spectra, and a year later he changed his place of residence to Leningrad. There Artsimovich Lev Andreevich got a job at the Physico-Technical Institute as a freelance drug: first to the radiography department, and six months later to the X-ray and electronic phenomena department. The young physicist-researcher, probably, like all the great scientists at the beginning of his journey, did not know how to put experiments and experiments. The task to help him in this lay on the shoulders of older comrades, who for quite a long time taught Lev the simplest skills required for scientific work.

The first researches of the Soviet scientist

The first thing Lev Andreyevich did was to study the total reflection of X-rays from thin layers of various metals. These experiments, conducted in 1931, only 40 years later came to practice and interested scientists. 1933 was marked by studies of the atomic nucleus; The task of Lev Artsimovich in this field was the organization of a high-voltage laboratory that studied the properties of slow neutrons and developed amplifying tubes and impulse generators to produce fast electrons. In time of war Artsimovich Lev Andreevich was engaged in the development of night vision devices using the infrared spectrum. This was required for the country's defense industry; The conditions for research conducted within the walls of Kazan University, to put it mildly, were absent. The basement, which was poorly adapted for scientific experiments, did not become a hindrance to the successful accomplishment of the task.

Postwar years

1944 for the Soviet scientist was marked by work as the head of the scientific department at the Institute of Atomic Energy, and in 1946 Lev Leviev was selected as a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences and became head of one of the research areas in the field of nuclear physics. For the invention of fission systems capable of separating lithium isotopes, Lev Andreevich was awarded the Stalin Prize of the 1st degree. In 1950 he received a new appointment - the head of experimental research in the field of thermonuclear controlled synthesis, and a year later the Soviet scientist became an academician. In 1952, on his account, the discovery of neutron radiation of high-temperature plasma and, as a result, the awarding of the Lenin Prize.

In search of an energy source

In 1955, the results of ongoing developments of the electrodynamic plasma accelerator formed the basis for a new direction - plasma physics.

At the end of life the Soviet physicist was engaged in researching high-temperature plasma at thermonuclear facilities, trying to find an inexhaustible source of energy. Realizing that the development of astrophysics can help this project (after all, the plasma needs to be studied outside the Earth - on the Sun and the stars), Leo supported the construction of astronomical instruments as much as possible and directed many efforts to erect an astronomical observatory in the Caucasus. The results obtained in scientific laboratories have led to an understanding of the physics of plasma, the nature of the outbursts and flares on the sun that cause the emergence of magnetic storms.

An invaluable contribution to science

It was thanks to L. Artsimovich that the astronomy of the Soviet country reached the forefront. Artsimovich Lev Andreevich also made a huge contribution to education. Since 1953 for 20 years he taught at Moscow State University, reading courses in plasma and atomic physics. A talented researcher has written a large number of teaching aids; At the department, on his behalf, a thermonuclear fusion laboratory was set up, with no analogues in any university in the world. Artsimovich Lev Andreevich and his children, whom he considered his students, conducted important experiments in it. By the way, many of the students of the Soviet physicist subsequently became major scientific leaders in different countries. Lev Andreevich died on March 1, 1973. He was buried by a talented scientist at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. In honor of Lev Andreevich Artsimovich, who made an invaluable contribution to Soviet and world science, was named the crater on the Moon, and in 1974 his name was appropriated to the ship, and the great scientists of our time base on the results obtained by Artsimovich.