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Luli Shatashvili (1928–2000)
IN MEMORIAM
board of Encyclopedia Georgian Jewish (TelAviv, Israel), President (and founder) of the Georgian-Jewish Society for Natural Science and Technology, and Head of the Board of Trustees ‘Hesed Eliyahu’ (founded in 1997) in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Luli Shatashvili (1928-2000)
Shatashvili was one of the founders of the Tbilisi cosmic ray station which formed an active part of the former Soviet net of cosmic ray research stations which still continue to monitor cosmic rays and, as such, constitutes a major part of the existing world-wide network. It is primarily due to the sterling efforts of Luli Shatashvili that the Tbilisi neutron monitor station continues to operate in these difficult times for the countries of the former Soviet Union. The data obtained at this station are submitted to other cosmic ray research centres around the world and are highly regarded by the international community. Despite difficult circumstances, Luli’s excellent teaching abilities, his devoted attention to young researchers, and his organizational talent made it possible for the activity of his scientific group in the Geophysics Institute to be particularly productive. In addition, Luli was an initiator and organizer of numerous scientific meetings and conferences. In his scientific work, Luli Shatashvili investigated the influence of solar wind asymmetry on cosmic rays and showed that this asymmetry is the reason for the 27-day variations of cosmic ray intensity and anisotropy. According to Shatashvili’s ideas, 27-day variations of cosmic rays on a large scale are caused by the solar wind in the interplanetary media. By systematically studying the data collected over many years by the world-wide network of stations, he found several essential characteristics of large-scale cosmic ray recurrent variations and anisotropy; based on these results, he constructed the theory of 27-day cosmic ray variations. This theory played a very important role in the development of modern cosmic ray physics. Shatashvili discovered the variation of cosmic rays due to the lunar cycle and thus initiated an important new line of scientific enquiry. It follows from the research by Shatashvili and his group that the reason for lunar-diurnal variations is the tidal influence on the magnetized Earth plasma. Thanks to the original methods applied by Shatashvili, the details of these tides have been studied and the large-scale properties of the magnetosphere investigated. By using many years of data from the world-wide network of cosmic ray stations and from interplanetary spacecraft observations, Shatashvili and
A tragic accident on the streets of Tbilisi (Georgia) on 6 March 2000 took the life of the distinguished cosmic ray physicist Professor Luli Shatashvili, one of the leading cosmophysicists in the field of interplanetary space research, at the height of his creativity and activity, and at a time when he was full of dreams and new ideas, helping people both in research and in life. Luli Shatashvili, Professor, Doctor of Physical-Mathematical Sciences, was the head of the Cosmic Ray Department of the M. Nodia Institute of Geophysics of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, and Chairman of. the Georgian Complex Problem Council of Solar-Terrestrial Relations. He was a member of a variety of scientific organizations including Section IV of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy, Scientific Council on Cosmic Rays, and Cosmic Ray and Radiation Belt Section of the Russian Academy of Science, Georgian Physical Society, American Geophysical Society (AGU), and of several Doctor Degree Defence Councils at the Institutes of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. Luli Shatashvili participated actively in Georgian public life: he was a member of the Georgian Parliament Commission for Science and Education, a member of the main editorial 2
his group discovered peculiarities in the quasiperiodic variations of cosmic ray intensity and anisotropy caused by the physical processes taking place in the heliosphere and, especially, in near-Earth cosmic space at different stages of solar activity. Thus Luli Shatashvili earned his international reputation from his work on the anisotropy of cosmic rays, on cyclic, quasiperiodic (27-day type) and lunar-diurnal variations, on recurrent and annual variations of cosmic ray intensity and anisotropy, on Forbush decreases and on anomalous diurnal variations of cosmic rays. Luli Shatashvili served science for nearly 50 years. He published about 200 scientific papers and four books on 27-day cosmic ray variations. Part of this published output serves as textbook material for young researchers. In August 1998, upon the celebration of his 70’” birthday, Luli Shatashvili was awarded the highest award in Georgia, the Order of Honour, for his distinguished contributions to the development and study of cosmic ray physics and near-Earth space, for his efforts in the foundation of the Georgian Cosmophysics School, and for the maintenance of international scientific relations and the development of Georgi-
an-Jewish relations. Shatashvili was the recipient of an emergency grant (founded for FSU scientists) from the American Physical Society and the Principal Investigator (as head of Georgian team) for other projects supported by grants from international sources (INTAS and the ISF). Luli, highly gifted in science, in music and as a chess-player, was a person who always carried an aura of warmth and happiness with him. He was a true friend and a top class scientist. It is impossible to believe that this bright and cheerful person who has been part of the cosmic ray community for so many years has died. He was well known for his kindness, faith, devotion and readiness to help. Luli Shatashvili will be sorely missed. Upon his passing, we have lost a dear friend and colleague, a teacher of many young scientists, and an individual whose international outlook was an inspiration to us all. Survivors include his widow Maro, daughter Nana, son Samson, and two grandchildren. N. Nachkebia (Georgian Academy of Sciences)
board of Encyclopedia Georgian Jewish (TelAviv, Israel), President (and founder) of the Georgian-Jewish Society for Natural Science and Technology, and Head of the Board of Trustees ‘Hesed Eliyahu’ (founded in 1997) in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Luli Shatashvili (1928-2000)
Shatashvili was one of the founders of the Tbilisi cosmic ray station which formed an active part of the former Soviet net of cosmic ray research stations which still continue to monitor cosmic rays and, as such, constitutes a major part of the existing world-wide network. It is primarily due to the sterling efforts of Luli Shatashvili that the Tbilisi neutron monitor station continues to operate in these difficult times for the countries of the former Soviet Union. The data obtained at this station are submitted to other cosmic ray research centres around the world and are highly regarded by the international community. Despite difficult circumstances, Luli’s excellent teaching abilities, his devoted attention to young researchers, and his organizational talent made it possible for the activity of his scientific group in the Geophysics Institute to be particularly productive. In addition, Luli was an initiator and organizer of numerous scientific meetings and conferences. In his scientific work, Luli Shatashvili investigated the influence of solar wind asymmetry on cosmic rays and showed that this asymmetry is the reason for the 27-day variations of cosmic ray intensity and anisotropy. According to Shatashvili’s ideas, 27-day variations of cosmic rays on a large scale are caused by the solar wind in the interplanetary media. By systematically studying the data collected over many years by the world-wide network of stations, he found several essential characteristics of large-scale cosmic ray recurrent variations and anisotropy; based on these results, he constructed the theory of 27-day cosmic ray variations. This theory played a very important role in the development of modern cosmic ray physics. Shatashvili discovered the variation of cosmic rays due to the lunar cycle and thus initiated an important new line of scientific enquiry. It follows from the research by Shatashvili and his group that the reason for lunar-diurnal variations is the tidal influence on the magnetized Earth plasma. Thanks to the original methods applied by Shatashvili, the details of these tides have been studied and the large-scale properties of the magnetosphere investigated. By using many years of data from the world-wide network of cosmic ray stations and from interplanetary spacecraft observations, Shatashvili and
A tragic accident on the streets of Tbilisi (Georgia) on 6 March 2000 took the life of the distinguished cosmic ray physicist Professor Luli Shatashvili, one of the leading cosmophysicists in the field of interplanetary space research, at the height of his creativity and activity, and at a time when he was full of dreams and new ideas, helping people both in research and in life. Luli Shatashvili, Professor, Doctor of Physical-Mathematical Sciences, was the head of the Cosmic Ray Department of the M. Nodia Institute of Geophysics of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, and Chairman of. the Georgian Complex Problem Council of Solar-Terrestrial Relations. He was a member of a variety of scientific organizations including Section IV of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy, Scientific Council on Cosmic Rays, and Cosmic Ray and Radiation Belt Section of the Russian Academy of Science, Georgian Physical Society, American Geophysical Society (AGU), and of several Doctor Degree Defence Councils at the Institutes of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. Luli Shatashvili participated actively in Georgian public life: he was a member of the Georgian Parliament Commission for Science and Education, a member of the main editorial 2
his group discovered peculiarities in the quasiperiodic variations of cosmic ray intensity and anisotropy caused by the physical processes taking place in the heliosphere and, especially, in near-Earth cosmic space at different stages of solar activity. Thus Luli Shatashvili earned his international reputation from his work on the anisotropy of cosmic rays, on cyclic, quasiperiodic (27-day type) and lunar-diurnal variations, on recurrent and annual variations of cosmic ray intensity and anisotropy, on Forbush decreases and on anomalous diurnal variations of cosmic rays. Luli Shatashvili served science for nearly 50 years. He published about 200 scientific papers and four books on 27-day cosmic ray variations. Part of this published output serves as textbook material for young researchers. In August 1998, upon the celebration of his 70’” birthday, Luli Shatashvili was awarded the highest award in Georgia, the Order of Honour, for his distinguished contributions to the development and study of cosmic ray physics and near-Earth space, for his efforts in the foundation of the Georgian Cosmophysics School, and for the maintenance of international scientific relations and the development of Georgi-
an-Jewish relations. Shatashvili was the recipient of an emergency grant (founded for FSU scientists) from the American Physical Society and the Principal Investigator (as head of Georgian team) for other projects supported by grants from international sources (INTAS and the ISF). Luli, highly gifted in science, in music and as a chess-player, was a person who always carried an aura of warmth and happiness with him. He was a true friend and a top class scientist. It is impossible to believe that this bright and cheerful person who has been part of the cosmic ray community for so many years has died. He was well known for his kindness, faith, devotion and readiness to help. Luli Shatashvili will be sorely missed. Upon his passing, we have lost a dear friend and colleague, a teacher of many young scientists, and an individual whose international outlook was an inspiration to us all. Survivors include his widow Maro, daughter Nana, son Samson, and two grandchildren. N. Nachkebia (Georgian Academy of Sciences)