Astrophysicist, Ph.D., professor, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR and Academy of Sciences of the USSR, honored figure of science of the USSR
Hmbardzumyan was born on September 12, 1908, in Tbilisi. In 1924-1928, he graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) State University. In 1928-1931 studied at the postgraduate course of the main observatory of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (Pulkovo). In 1935, without a dissertation defense, he received his Ph.D.
In 1931-1944 V. Hambardzumyan worked at the University of Leningrad as an associate professor, then the head of the chair of astrophysics he founded, the first in the USSR, and from 1940, vice-rector for scientific affairs.
In 1943, with the joint efforts of H. Orbeli and V. Hambardzumyan, the Academy of Sciences of the ASSR was founded in Yerevan. V. Hambardzumyan became one of its founding members and first vice president. In 1947, he was elected president of the NAS ASSR and led it for almost half a century.
In 1946, V. Hambardzumyan founded the YSU Chair of Astrophysics and the Byurakan Observatory, where the conducted research predetermined the main directions of the development of astrophysics in the second half of the 20th century. His contribution to the development of physics and mathematics in Armenia, raising the level of research in the field of natural and technical sciences, creating new, modern scientific directions, and training high-quality specialists is great. He also contributed to the development of radio electronics, chemical, machine-building, and mining industries in Armenia.
V. Hambardzumyan's contributions to theoretical astrophysics, physics of stars and nebulae, stellar dynamics, extragalactic astronomy, and research into the evolution of stars and galaxies opened a new page in the history of world science. A number of principles, including the principle of solving inverse problems of invariance, are named after Hambardzumyan. He developed the fundamentals of statistical mechanics of star systems, discovered the phenomenon of gradual decay of star clusters, and proposed a principle for determining the age of star clusters.
By applying new methods to double stars, he justified the short (hundred billion years) age scale of the Galaxy. Many of the ideas he developed went beyond the scope of astrophysics, gaining general methodological significance, and stimulated the development of other fields of science.
In 1948-1950, V. Hambardzumyan was elected vice-president, and in 1961-1964 the president of the International Astronomical Union. In 1968-1972, Hambardzumyan was the president of the International Council of Scientific Societies.
V. Hambardzumyan founded the magazine "Astrophysics" and until 1986 was its editor-in-chief, the first editor-in-chief of the "Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia" and the chair of the editorial board.
From 1948, he was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia; and in 1958, he was a deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR.
From 1993 until the end of his life, Hambardzumyan was the honorary president of the NAS of RA.
From 1993 until the end of his life, Hambardzumyan was the honorary president of the NAS of RA.
V. Hambardzumyan's exceptional merit in the development of world science was appreciated both in the homeland and abroad. In 1946 and 1950, he was awarded the USSR state awards, in 1995 - the Russian state award. He was elected an honorary member of the academies and scientific societies of the USA, England, Belgium, Austria, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Italy, Greece, Poland, and other countries, and received honorary degrees from many universities.
V. Hambardzumyan was a double hero of Socialist work. He was awarded Lenin (5), October Revolution, "Sign of Honor", Labor Red Banner (2), and YSU gold medal. He was also awarded the title of national hero of the Republic of Armenia.
Passed away on August 12, 1996, in Byurakan.
The Byurakan Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Chair of General Physics and Astrophysics of YSU, and the "Knowledge" company, Yerevan Public School No. 12 are named after V. Hambardzumyan.
His bronze bust in the lobby of YSU's central building symbolizes the role of an outstanding scientist-pedagogue in the development of university science.
