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A. G. Naumovets,
Academician-Secretary of the Department

       In 2001, scientists of the Department of Physics and Astronomy carried on their investigations in numerous fields of physics and astronomy, both in those where our country already has renowned science schools and traditions and in several new directions which have been started recently and still remain in the formation phase. 22 institutions of the Department, alongside with a number of universities and industrial science organizations, took part in the research. The theoretical and experimental results obtained make a significant contribution to the development of advanced views on a variety of physical phenomena, on the Solar system and the Universe.
        The research in the field of nuclear physics and high-energy physics was directed towards elucidating the origin of nuclear forces, studying fundamental interactions and properties of the nuclear system at low, intermediate and high energies, and to solving high-relevance problems of radiation physics of solids.
Investigations of Chornobyl-related issues and of physical problems of nuclear power engineering were developed further. In particular, in the NAS Institute for Nuclear Research, a new concept was advanced, and first calculations made of the under-critical neutron amplifier. In conjunction with high-current ion accelerator, it could be a basis for a new-type reactor.
        Research into solid state physics, which traditionally is widely represented in the investigations of the Department, was concerned with nonlinear-optics phenomena in solids, semiconductors physics, physics of magnetic phenomena, physics of low-dimension quantum structures and optical properties of crystals. Among new achievements in this field, we should highlight the idea of the spinguide - a nonmagnetic conductive channel, surrounded by magnetic material, which allows the current with high-spin polarization to be transported over large distances.
        Investigations under the programs on nanophysics, nanoelectronics and nanotechnologies, initiated jointly with RAS and scientists from Germany, were continued.
        Studies of soft matter physics found their further development. Investigated were the properties of electrolytes, liquid crystals, dynamic and conformative properties of macromolecules and some biophysical systems, the influence of external factors on the processes in such systems. E.g., at the Institute of Physics, an effect of magnet-controlled anchoring in the ferronematic suspension was found. This effect is promising for the development of supersensitive magnet-controlled devices for information processing and storage.
        Research in the field of plasma physics was focused on the problems of plasma electronics, physics of turbulent plasma and transport processes in it, theory of dusted plasma, plasma spectroscopy and certain plasma technologies.
        Studies in astronomy were directed towards further development of the concept of the Universe by using the data, obtained with UTR-2 radiotelecscope, optical telescopes and space techniques.
        At the NAS International Center of Astronomical and Medical-and-Ecological Research, a technical project involving the synchronized net of seven optical telescopes of Terskol, Crimea, Bulgaria and Greece observatories was implemented, and three international series of astronomical observations were carried out.
Researchers of the NAS Radioastronomy Institute started their studies of the state of plasma environment by radiophysics methods at the Ukrainian Antarctic station 'Academician Vernadsky'.
        A number of works, carried out by scientists of the NAS Department of Physics and Astronomy, were highly appraised. In particular, four research teams, involving scientists of 5 Department institutions, were awarded with the 2001 State Prize of Ukraine in Science and Technology.
        Still, an analysis of scientific results obtained in 2001 confirms the recent tendencies - a decreasing number of experimental studies, for it is either difficult or nearly impossible to perform state-of-the-art experiments with the facilities available, which, as a rule, are 20-30 and more years old. Significantly increased is the part of studies carried out by researchers during their missions abroad. So, the problem of renewing the equipment for physical research becomes increasingly acute. A delay in its solution jeopardizes the training of high-qualification specialists, as the schooling of advanced experimentalists is impossible with outdated equipment.