Khakassia,
01/07/16 08:00
What mysteries conceals modern astrophysics why humanities study higher mathematics, and how to inspire today’s students to classes in astronomy, science department “Gazety.Ru” said the author of the article cited in the world of theoretical astrophysics Nikolai Shakur – Soviet and the Russian astrophysicist, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, head of relativistic astrophysics SAI.
– Nikolai Ivanovich, in the past year you have celebrated their 70th anniversary. But let us remember, in 1973 you together with astrophysicist Rashid Sunyaev developed the theory of accretion disks underlying the modern theory of X-ray binary systems, – one of the most cited (more than 7 thousand. Links ) articles on the history of astrophysics . Tell us the words that are understandable for a person without astrophysical education, what is the essence of the theory of accretion disks?
– The word “accretion” I first heard on the 4 th year, when I took the subject course Work Zeldovich. It was found that the accretion – it is only a matter falling onto the star by gravity. The more massive the star, the greater its attraction. A force of attraction of black holes is so strong that even a ray of light emitted by a star, the strength of its attraction is wrapped back! And so we can not see or observe such a star.
But that’s just the phenomenon of accretion disk and allows us to learn something about these unusual stellar objects. The fact that more than half the stars in the universe – not alone, like our Sun, and a double. And sometimes even triple! They revolve around their common center of gravity. If such a stellar pair of one star is a black hole, it is its powerful attraction will pull the atmosphere neighbor. And because both stars rotate around as the common center of gravity, so also around its own axis of rotation, then the mass of the gas flows is screwed onto the black hole, forming a gas disk around it. The movement of gas within this disc comes at tremendous speeds, leading to a collision of the gas particles. And, therefore, to a strong heating of the gas in the disk.
This process is accompanied by the release of not only the heat, but light in the optical and X-rays.
The gas glowing disk we We can already see, because he is at a certain distance from the black hole, and the latter can not capture the light disc. Watching the radiation of the accretion disk, we can learn a lot about the blackest hole and physical processes in the surrounding area, as well as calculate the mass of the black hole, the speed of rotation and much more.
Together with Rashid Sunyaev (then it was like me, a graduate student Zeldovich Sunyaev Now – academician) in the early 70s of the last century ggodov we first calculated the possible emission spectra of such an accretion disk. It was found that most of the energy is emitted in the X-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Almost simultaneously, the results of our calculations confirmed the observation of accretion disks of instruments installed on the American satellite Uhuru.
– In 1963 you received the Physics Department of Moscow State University on a specialty “Astronomy”. And your parents were not related to the exact sciences. How then came the decision to engage in astrophysics?
– Yes, my parents were not directly related to the exact sciences. But my father was a front-line soldier and former tanker. He was well versed in the art, and we, his four sons, reports interest in technology and science.
In addition, I was lucky with the teachers. And though I was not in the capital but in the higher grades at my school (she was in Belarus, in the village of Parichi near Bobruisk) math taught a wonderful teacher, Alfred V. Baranovsky.
About the tutors in those years no one not heard, but the level of teaching, even in a village school was such that those who wish to continue their education, was held competitions in all schools – up to the Moscow State University.
Once, when he was still a pupil of the 11th grade, Bobruisk in the bookstore, I saw a book Zel’dovich “Higher mathematics for beginners.” I started with interest to view it – wanted to find the section where it is shown how to calculate the maxima and minima of functions. Oh very intrigued by our teacher, Alfred V.! When we were in school this topic, he said: “But the method of higher mathematics such calculations are made easier and more beautiful».
Then I could not even imagine that after only four years of academician Zeldovich would be my supervisor .
– You are a recognized world authority in the field of modern theoretical astrophysics, member of the International Astronomical Union and the European Astronomical Society. Have you ever had any desire to leave Russia and continue his studies in astrophysics abroad?
– Astronomy – Science is international, it is not divided into German, English and French. Not so important, where the astronomer works, it is important, what are the results and what is its contribution to the common fund of human knowledge about the universe.
I – theorist, and for me to need their own head, a computer and access to the latest publications (the Internet provides quite). Therefore there is no need to go somewhere. And by the way, recently the well established international collaboration between astrophysicists, we do collaborations, often meet to discuss the scientific issues.
– you many years of reading courses for students of the Department of Astronomy Physics Department Moscow State University, working with graduate students, prepare candidates. Do you think that the recent level of students has decreased or increased? And why?
– Earlier in the MSU Faculty of Science, it was a huge competition – 8-10 people in place. The selection was very hard, there were the strongest. But in the wake of this universal fashion of physics at the university have been many though well trained, but also motivated enough guys. Many of the physicists in the 90 years have gone into the business.
Now the competition has become less, but
to enter university real amateur astronomers. People come to me to take the theme for the course and diploma works great and powerful students!
– What issues are you currently working on?
Currently, I continue to explore different types of accretion disks with a complex structure.
– How do you think the condition of the modern astrophysics in our country?
– Before the Russian astrophysicist now faces a number of difficulties. In particular, in our country there are difficulties with the financing of science. Particularly affected by these problems of observational astronomy: modern telescopes are very costly. Nevertheless, the Moscow State University has recently built an excellent observatory with a modern telescope near Kislovodsk. We have high hopes for this observatory.
Good results developed in our country under the leadership of Professor of Moscow State University Vladimir Lipunova automatic network of small telescopes – a system of “Master”, with which you can continuously monitor the air in many places globe. This system, by the way, has already helped to identify many previously unknown stellar objects.
– How do you explain a man far removed from science, what is the meaning of expenses for astrophysical research? What are the practical meaning of this research?
– Try to look beyond the horizon – this is a very human quality! Otherwise, what would we differ from animals? Investing in the development of space systems already provides a very tangible benefit for the national economy. I’m talking about tracking the movement of atmospheric vortices, recording and evaluation of areas of forest fires from space, monitoring and prognosis of the asteroid hazard. The list goes on.
In addition, the country without a developed astronomy can not claim to be a great world power – it will be doomed to rely on someone else’s information, it will have no incentive to develop their scientific basis for fundamental science. All this will lead to the degradation of society and the country, for its lagging behind other countries.
And Astronomy – is the ideological science: we have to imagine what kind of world in which the universe we live in.
– in most modern schools no longer astronomy. What do you think about it? How, in your opinion, can inspire the modern student on astrophysics and astronomy classes?
– and teaching astronomy in schools, and the quality of textbooks is poor. Lack of astronomy in schools can (and should!) To compensate for a good and systematic demonstration of popular movies and TV shows. Maybe it will even give a greater effect than the study of a boring textbook outlining boring teachers.
There is a series of great films on astronomy production of “Bi-bi-si” – they would have to purchase and often shown on television.
It is also a good idea to create an online interactive learning program on astronomy with the possibility of getting advice and answers to questions from qualified astronomers professionals.
I would still like to see the country was More planetarium – at least in every regional town! And at planetariums – themed mugs for amateur astronomers.
Some minimum of astronomical knowledge is necessary to give, of course, and at school – perhaps adding physics textbook chapters on the fundamentals of the universe and our solar system.
– What, in your opinion, the major mysteries of modern astrophysics? The nature of black holes, the formation of extrasolar planets? ..
– One of the biggest mysteries – it is dark matter, which is not visible, but manifested in gravitational effects. Visible matter – the visible stars, star clusters, gas accumulations, and it is only 4% of the matter in the universe! Everything else – the mysterious dark matter and no less mysterious dark energy. And in general, the study of our solar system are constantly brings new surprises and new and unexpected discoveries. And in the solar system, believe, still a lot of unknown.
– Today, there is a huge gap between scientists and society. Astrophysics, for example – it is an area struck fear in the average humanist. How can you win this gap and whether it is in an environment where even the physics involved in different areas do not always understand the subject of research to each other?
Company need to watch science-fiction movies Astronomy – then the gap is reduced, and the fear will disappear.
With regard to specialization – it is inevitable, but in order and provides a basic university education – the foundation that makes it easy to switch and is easily incorporated into a variety of research .
This is precisely the advantage of our established in 50-60th years of research training. Unlike, for example, the US, with its narrow focus too early specialization.
And for the humanities would be good to introduce mandatory minimum rate of higher mathematics, because it is a basic element of the general culture – the culture of thinking! There will be fewer problems in understanding will be less fragmentation in society.
Remember that, he entered the Faculty of Humanities University, Leo Tolstoy to take entrance exams in mathematics. And he got a ticket to the binomial theorem!
Gazeta.ru,
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