by Alexander LUCHININ, Dr. Sc. (Phys. & Math.), Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the RAS Institute of Applied Physics (IAP), Director of the Department of Hydrophysics and Underwater Acoustics, Alexander MALEKHANOV, Cand. Sc. (Phys. & Math.), leading researcher of the same institute The study of wave processes in the thick and on the surface of the ocean, search for radiophysical methods of its distance diagnostics are the key trends of research of the IAP Department of Hydrophysics and Underwater Acoustics created in 1988. The World Ocean is the main exploration target, kind of habitat for its employees. MULTIWAVE HYDROPHYSICS Despite novelty of the problems which were set when establishing the Institute, hydrophysics and underwater acoustics didn't start developing here from scratch. The fundamentals of a number of their sections were laid in the 1960s-1970s by employees of the Scientific Research Radiophysical Institute Vladimir Talanov (academician since 1992), Vitaly Zverev (Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, then Russian Academy of Sciences, since 1979), Lev Ostrovsky, Dr. Sc. (Phys. & Math.), Lev Dolin, Cand. Sc. (Phys. & Math.) and their followers. A "cultural layer" of these pioneer works on wave physics in inhomogeneous media allowed the Institute of Applied Physics to rather quickly not only familiarize itself in a new area but take up the leading positions in several key directions. The fact that Academician Andrey Gaponov-Grekhov - the IAP founder and director during a quarter of the century - had undertaken scientific management of all works on perspective wave technologies of study and diagnostics of the ocean contributed to success to a considerable extent. In 1987, he replaced Academician Anatoly Alexandrov,* who had given very active support in his time at the position of chairman of * From 1975 to 1986 - President of the USSR Academy of Sciences. - Ed. стр. 46 ... Read more