Leonid Brekhovskikh
Encyclopedia
Leonid Maksimovich Brekhovskikh (6 May 1917 – 15 January 2005; ) was a Russian
/Soviet scientist known for his work in acoustical
and physical oceanography
.
family in Strunkino, a small village in Vologda Governorate
(now Arkhangelsk Oblast
), Russia
. He graduated from Perm State University
in 1939, from which he received his university degree, and studied under Igor E. Tamm at the Lebedev Physical Institute
(FIAN). There, he received his candidate degree in Physics in 1941 for his thesis on X-ray crystallography
. After his PhD, he joined FIAN's acoustical laboratories and worked on a naval defence project to develop protection against acoustically-triggered mines. He later developed a theory of the propagation of acoustical waves in layered media, upon which he received a PhD in Physics and Mathematics from FIAN in 1947.
During 1946, his research in the Sea of Japan
led him to the discovery of the deep sound channel, a concept which would eventually lead to the foundation of modern acoustical oceanography
. This was discovered independently by Maurice Ewing
and Lamar Worzel in the US almost at the same time. In 1953, Brekhovskikh left FIAN and founded the Andreev Acoustics Institute in Moscow, which he directed until 1961 (he remained a department head until his leaving, in 1980). At the Acoustics Institute, he participated in the construction and design of two acoustical research ship, the Sergey Vavilov and the Pyotr Lebedev
, which participated in the Polygon experiment
along with four other ships. These ships observed the mesocale
eddies for the first time, confirming the predictions made by Henry Stommel
in the mid 1960s.
From 1953 to 1966, he was a professor of physics and department chair at the Moscow State University
. From 1969 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union
in 1992, he was a member of the presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He also taught physics and was a department chair at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology from 1975 to 1997. In 1980, Brekhovskikh left the Acoustic Institute for the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology
, where he led the acoustics department until his death.
During his life, he also wrote several books on acoustical oceanography, his most famous being Waves in Layered Media, published in 1956. Brekhovskikh died on 15 January 2005, in Moscow
, from heart failure.
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
/Soviet scientist known for his work in acoustical
Acoustical oceanography
Acoustical oceanography is the use of underwater sound to study the sea, its boundaries and its contents.-History:The earliest and most widespread use of sound and sonar technology to study the properties of the sea is the use of an echo sounder to measure water depth...
and physical oceanography
Physical oceanography
Physical oceanography is the study of physical conditions and physical processes within the ocean, especially the motions and physical properties of ocean waters.Physical oceanography is one of several sub-domains into which oceanography is divided...
.
Life
Brekhovskikh was born from a peasantPeasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
family in Strunkino, a small village in Vologda Governorate
Vologda Governorate
The Vologda Governorate or Government of Vologda was a guberniya in the historical northern region of the European part of Russian Empire.In its size it was second right after the neighboring Archangelgorod Governorate...
(now Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arkhangelsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It includes the Arctic archipelagos of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya, as well as the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea....
), Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He graduated from Perm State University
Perm State University
Perm State University or PSU is located in the city of Perm, Perm Krai, Russia. Founded in 1916, it claims to be one of the oldest universities in the Ural and eastern territories of Russia. Its current rector is Igor Makarikhin.-History:...
in 1939, from which he received his university degree, and studied under Igor E. Tamm at the Lebedev Physical Institute
Lebedev Physical Institute
The Lebedev Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences , situated in Moscow, is one of the leading Russian research institutes specializing in physics. It is also one of the oldest research institutions in Russia: its history dates back to a collection of physics equipment established by...
(FIAN). There, he received his candidate degree in Physics in 1941 for his thesis on X-ray crystallography
X-ray crystallography
X-ray crystallography is a method of determining the arrangement of atoms within a crystal, in which a beam of X-rays strikes a crystal and causes the beam of light to spread into many specific directions. From the angles and intensities of these diffracted beams, a crystallographer can produce a...
. After his PhD, he joined FIAN's acoustical laboratories and worked on a naval defence project to develop protection against acoustically-triggered mines. He later developed a theory of the propagation of acoustical waves in layered media, upon which he received a PhD in Physics and Mathematics from FIAN in 1947.
During 1946, his research in the Sea of Japan
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific...
led him to the discovery of the deep sound channel, a concept which would eventually lead to the foundation of modern acoustical oceanography
Acoustical oceanography
Acoustical oceanography is the use of underwater sound to study the sea, its boundaries and its contents.-History:The earliest and most widespread use of sound and sonar technology to study the properties of the sea is the use of an echo sounder to measure water depth...
. This was discovered independently by Maurice Ewing
Maurice Ewing
William Maurice "Doc" Ewing was an American geophysicist and oceanographer.Ewing has been described as a pioneering geophysicist who worked on the research of seismic reflection and refraction in ocean basins, ocean bottom photography, submarine sound transmission , deep sea coring of the ocean...
and Lamar Worzel in the US almost at the same time. In 1953, Brekhovskikh left FIAN and founded the Andreev Acoustics Institute in Moscow, which he directed until 1961 (he remained a department head until his leaving, in 1980). At the Acoustics Institute, he participated in the construction and design of two acoustical research ship, the Sergey Vavilov and the Pyotr Lebedev
Pyotr Lebedev (research vessel)
Pyotr Lebedev was a research vessel operated by the Soviet Union. The vessel was owned and operated by the Andreev Acoustics Institute, and was used to make hydrophysical observations of the Atlantic Ocean such as during the Polygon experiment...
, which participated in the Polygon experiment
POLYGON experiment
The POLYGON experiment was a pioneer experiment in oceanography conducted in middle of the Atlantic Ocean during the 1970s. The experiment, led by Leonid Brekhovskikh, was the first to establish the existence of so-called "mesoscale eddies", eddies at the 100-km and 100-day scale, which triggered...
along with four other ships. These ships observed the mesocale
Mesoscale meteorology
Mesoscale meteorology is the study of weather systems smaller than synoptic scale systems but larger than microscale and storm-scale cumulus systems. Horizontal dimensions generally range from around 5 kilometers to several hundred kilometers...
eddies for the first time, confirming the predictions made by Henry Stommel
Henry Stommel
Henry Melson Stommel was a major contributor to the field of physical oceanography. Beginning in the 1940s, he advanced theories about global ocean circulation patterns and the behavior of the Gulf Stream that form the basis of physical oceanography today...
in the mid 1960s.
From 1953 to 1966, he was a professor of physics and department chair at the Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
. From 1969 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
in 1992, he was a member of the presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He also taught physics and was a department chair at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology from 1975 to 1997. In 1980, Brekhovskikh left the Acoustic Institute for the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology
Shirshov Institute of Oceanology
Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in Moscow, is the largest institute for ocean and earth science research, in Russia, established in 1946.- Fleet :* RV Akademik Ioffe...
, where he led the acoustics department until his death.
During his life, he also wrote several books on acoustical oceanography, his most famous being Waves in Layered Media, published in 1956. Brekhovskikh died on 15 January 2005, in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, from heart failure.
Awards and memberships
- Lenin PrizeLenin PrizeThe Lenin Prize was one of the most prestigious awards of the USSR, presented to individuals for accomplishments relating to science, literature, arts, architecture, and technology. It was created on June 23, 1925 and was awarded until 1934. During the period from 1935 to 1956, the Lenin Prize was...
(1970) - Rayleigh Gold MedalRayleigh MedalThe Rayleigh Medal is a prize awarded annually by the Institute of Acoustics for "outstanding contributions to acoustics". The prize is named after John Strutt, 3rd Baron Rayleigh.-List of recipients:...
(UK Institute of AcousticsInstitute of AcousticsThe Institute of Acoustics is a British professional engineering institution founded in 1974. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers. The Institute's address is 77A St Peters Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3BN,...
, 1977) - USSR Academy of Sciences
- US National Academy of Sciences