Alexander A. Boyarchuk

Russian Federation

1931-2015

Obituary:

Born 21.06.1931 in Grozny. In 1953, he graduated from mat. - mech.fac. Leningrad State University, specialty "astronomy". staff member of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory from 1953 to 1987 (from 1969 to 1987 – Deputy Director). Staff member of the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences (for-merly the Astrosovet of the USSR Academy of Sciences) (from 1987 to 2003-Director, from 2003 to 2015-Scientific director). In 1976-elected to the corresponding member, in 1987-to the full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Deceased 10.08.2015 in Moscow.

A. A. Boyarchuk made a huge contribution to astrophysics in the field of studying interacting binary stars of different types. A. A. Boyarchuk was the first to propose the now generally accepted model of a symbiotic star, which closely linked the general principles of stellar evolution with observa-tions of a wide class of nonstationary stars. The consolidated catalog of the rotational velocities of 2362 stars, compiled by him during his work at CrAO, was unique for its time. Under the direction of A. A. Boyarchuk developed a new direction in the study of interacting binary stars, combining astro-physical observations with gas-dynamic calculations, the results obtained allowed us to explain many of the observed phenomena in binary systems of different types. An important area of research under the leadership of A. A. Boyarchuk was the study of red giants by astrospectroscopy.

The largest specialist in extra-atmospheric astronomy. He was the scientific director of the suc-cessful Astron space experiment, the ultraviolet Astrophysical Observatory. For the development and creation of the astrophysical station "Astron", A. A. Boyarchuk was awarded the USSR State Prize in Science and Technology. He was the head of the international space project "World Space Observato-ry-Ultraviolet" ("Spectrum-UV").

He headed the Department of Experimental Astronomy of the Astronomical Department of the Faculty of Physics of Moscow State University. The Scientific School of A. A. Boyarchuk "Studies of interacting stars" has a well-deserved world-class authority.

He was the editor-in-chief of the Astronomy Reports, and was also a member of the editorial boards of a number of publications.

He was awarded many Russian and foreign awards, including the Order of Merit for the Father-land, IV and III degrees, the Order of Honor, and the Order of the Badge of Honor. The minor planet MPC 7785 is named after Boyarchuk.

He held high positions in the Russian Academy of Sciences: 1990-2002 – member of the Presid-ium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2002-2015-Adviser to the Russian Academy of Sciences, Deputy Academician-Secretary, Academician-Secretary of the Department of General Physics and As-tronomy, Chairman of the National Committee of Russian Astronomers, for more than 10 years he was Deputy Chairman of the RAS Council for Space.

He was a member of many foreign and Russian societies and academies, in particular, from 1988 to 1997 he was a member of the top management of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), from 1991 to 1994 he was President of the IAU. He was a founding member of the European Astronomical Society.