Boris Borisovich Kadomtsev (russian: Борис Борисович Кадомцев; 9 November 1928 – 19 August 1998) was a Soviet and Russian

plasma physicist Plasma ()πλάσμα
, Henry George Liddell, R ...

who worked on controlled fusion problems (e.g.

tokamak A tokamak (; russian: токамáк; otk, 𐱃𐰸𐰢𐰴, Toḳamaḳ) is a device which uses a powerful magnetic field to confine plasma in the shape of a torus. The tokamak is one of several types of magnetic confinement devices being d ...

s). He developed a theory of transport phenomena in turbulent plasmas and a theory of the so-called anomalous behavior of plasmas in magnetic fields. In 1966, he discovered plasma instability with trapped particles. In 1970, Kadomtsev and Vladimir Petviashvili introduced into plasma physics the

Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation In mathematics and physics, the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation (often abbreviated as KP equation) is a partial differential equation to describe nonlinear wave motion. Named after Boris Borisovich Kadomtsev and Vladimir Iosifovich Petviashvili ...

(KP equation), a nonlinear partial differential equation with applications in

theoretical physics Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experim ...

and

complex analysis Complex analysis, traditionally known as the theory of functions of a complex variable, is the branch of mathematical analysis that investigates Function (mathematics), functions of complex numbers. It is helpful in many branches of mathemati ...

. The exact solution to the KP equation was later found by Vladimir Zakharov and , which helped solve the

Schottky problem In mathematics, the Schottky problem, named after Friedrich Schottky, is a classical question of algebraic geometry, asking for a characterisation of Jacobian varieties amongst abelian varieties. Geometric formulation More precisely, one should co ...

Early life and career

Kadomtsev graduated from

Moscow State University M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU; russian: Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова) is a public research university in Moscow, Russia and the most prestigious ...

in 1951. He then worked at the Institute for Physics and Energy in

Obninsk Obninsk (russian: О́бнинск) is a city in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the bank of the Protva River southwest of Moscow and northeast of Kaluga. Population: History The history of Obninsk began in 1945 when the First Research In ...

. In 1956, he worked at the Institute for Atomic Energy. In 1976 to 1998, he was chief editor of the journal ''

Physics-Uspekhi ''Physics-Uspekhi'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal. It is an English translation of the Russian journal of physics, ''Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk'' (russian: Успехи физических наук, ''Advances in Physical Sciences'') which ...

.'' Since 1973, he has been chair of the plasma physics section of the state committee for the use of nuclear energy. He died on 19 August 1998 and was buried at

Troyekurovskoye Cemetery The Troyekurovo Cemetery (russian: Троекуровское кладбище, Troyekurovskoye kladbishche), alternatively known as ''Novo-Kuntsevo Cemetery'' (russian: Ново-Кунцевское кладбище, Novo-Kuntsevskoye kladbishch ...

Honors and awards

In 1970, he received the

USSR State Prize The USSR State Prize (russian: links=no, Государственная премия СССР, Gosudarstvennaya premiya SSSR) was the Soviet Union's state honor. It was established on 9 September 1966. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, t ...

for the study of the instability of a high-temperature plasma in a magnetic field and the creation of a method for its stabilization with a “magnetic well”. In 1984, he was awarded the Lenin Prize for his work on the "''Theory of Thermonuclear Toroidal Plasma''". He was also honored with the

Order of the Red Banner of Labour The Order of the Red Banner of Labour (russian: Орден Трудового Красного Знамени, translit=Orden Trudovogo Krasnogo Znameni) was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to th ...

. He has been a corresponding member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences since 1962 and a full member since 1970. In 1998, he received the

American Physical Society The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of k ...

James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics The James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics is an annual American Physical Society (APS) award that is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of the Plasma Physics. It was established in 1975 by Maxwell Technologies, ...

for "''fundamental contributions to plasma turbulence theory, stability and nonlinear theory of MHD and kinetic instabilities in plasmas, and for international leadership in research and teaching of plasma physics and

controlled thermonuclear fusion Fusion power is a proposed form of power generation that would generate electricity by using heat from nuclear fusion reactions. In a fusion process, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, while releasing energy. Devices de ...

physics"''.

Books

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kadomtsev, Boris Borisovich 1928 births 1998 deaths Full Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences Full Members of the USSR Academy of Sciences Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Moscow State University alumni Recipients of the Lenin Prize Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Recipients of the USSR State Prize Plasma physicists Russian physicists Soviet physicists Burials in Troyekurovskoye Cemetery