Academic CentreHistory of Laboratory of Theoretical Physics
Laboratory of Theoretical Physics,
Institute of Physics, Latvian Academy of Sciences
1958-1993
The laboratory of Theoretical Physics (LTP) was founded in 1958 at the Institute of Physics (IP) of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS). Dr. Viktor Veldre (1924-1967), the Deputy director of Institute of Physics, was the first Head of Laboratory. R.Peterkop, V.Kravchenko, V.Kascheev. R.Damburg, M.Gailitis and A.Gailitis were in LTP from the very beginning, E.Karule and E.Iolin joined it in 1959. I.Bersons in 1960.After some years V.Kravchenko left for Bulgaria. Working on ferromagnetics V.Kascheev (1934-1989) and E.Iolin with time left LTP creating their own lab.
P.Kunin (course of the quantum mechanics in University of Latvia) and Dr. E.Riekstins (courses of mathematical analysis in University of Latvia) gave a great contribution preparing the physicists-theorists for the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS).
The laboratory had close ties with the Leningrad (now StPetersburg) University. Prof. G.F.Drukarev and Prof. Y.N.Demkov were frequent visitors in Institute of Physics. R.Damburg, R.Petrkop, M.Gailitis, I.Bersons and E.Gailite-Karule obtained USSR Doctor of Sciences degrees at the University of St.Petersburg.
The main subject of research initially was collisions of electrons with atoms. The calculation of scattering of slow electrons by hydrogen atom using the close coupling approximation were performed by Dr. Raimond Peterkop (1930-1991), Dr. Robert Damburg (1930-2010), Dr. Modris Gailitis (1935-1993) and Dr. Erna Karule, simultaneously with the British scientists (headed by the Fellow of Royal Society P.J.Burke). These were the first works in this field. The research in atomic physics, based on the use of computers, in Latvia was carried out independently and simultaneously with the similar investigations done by the Western scientists despite the considerably worse computers available. Complicated mathematical problems were solved with original mathematical methods, which later were applied also by the Western scientists.
R.Peterkop and Erna Karule improved the method and were the first who using the close coupling approximation calculated cross sections for the slow electron collisions with alkali (Li, Na, K, Cs) atoms. Wave functions for alkali atoms were calculated in collaboration with Erik Anderson’s group at the Computer Centre of the University of Latvia.
The works were published both in the collections of papers: “Atomic processes” (Zinatne, ed. R.Peterkop, in Russian), and in the J.Phys.B: Atomic and Molecular Physics and in other journals in USSR and abroad. Collections of articles as “Atomic Physics I” and “Cross sections for collisions of electrons by atoms” (Riga, Zinatne, in Russian, 1965) were immediately translated and published in the USA. By these works Laboratory of Theoretical Physics in the middle of sixties became well known by the Western physicists working in the field of atomic physics as the “Riga’s group”.
In 1967 for the papers on “Collisions of Slow Electrons with Atoms” V.Veldre, R.Damburg, R.Peterkop, M.Gailitis and E.Karule got the first Latvian State Award in Physics.
In 1970 Erna Karule became a wife of Agris Gailitis, so her surname in passport is Gailite, but her papers she continued to publish with surname Karule.
After sudden death of Dr. V.Veldre (1967) one year the laboratory headed Dr. R.Petrkop, then Dr. R.Damburg was appointed to that position.
The work of R.Peterkop and M.Gailitis on the Wannier law and the papers of M.Gailitis on the asymptotic expansion of wave functions are well known and frequently quoted.
I.Bersons started his work in LTP caring out research in nuclear physics. A.Gailitis, whose main field is magnetohydrodinamics got his Dr. degree in the Physics Institute of Academy of Sciences (FIAN, Moscow) in 1964 and is well known in West by so called “Gailitis dynamo”.
There were also other longstanding staff members of the laboratory. One of them Dr.I.Vinkalns (1931-1998) has joint publications with M.Gailitis; other Dr. R.Propin (1929-1991) has many common papers with R.Damburg. Dr.I.Fabrikant came to the laboratory in seventies, at the end of eighties he moved to the USA. From the establishment of the laboratory in 1958 until 1994 seventeen employees had worked there and 12 members of LTP got so called Candidate of Sciences degree (USSR), which corresponds to the PhD degree in Western countries.
Prof. L.Spruch from New York University was the first of Western scientists who visited the LTP in the 60-ies. He was followed by U.Fano (USA), the editor of the journal Phys. Rev.A B.Bederson (USA), the editor of J.Phys.B M.Seaton (UK), K.Smith (U.K.), Fellow of the Royal Society P.G.Burke (UK), P.Agostini (Saclay, France) and many others.
At the beginning of seventies E.Karule (using quantum mechanical methods) and I.Bersons (using semiclassical methods) started to work on the interaction of electromagnetic waves with atoms.
E.Karule was invited speaker at the first international conference on “Multiphoton Processes” (1977 Rochester, USA). In 1986 I.Bersons was invited to the international conference “Multiphoton Processes” (Boulder, ASV) in the same year E.Karule had invited paper at the XV International Conference on Physics of Electronic and Atomic Collisions” (ICPEAC XV) in Brighton, England. Numerous invitations to be invited speakers at the International conferences were repeatedly received by R.Peterkop and M.Gailitis. Yet before the independence of Latvia, all their applications to visit Western countries sunk without any notice somewhere, most likely in State Security Committee.
In 1975 LAS Publishing house “Zinatne” published R. Peterkop’s book “Theory of Ionization of Atoms by Electron Impact”.(in Russian), which in 1977 was translated and published in the USA. R.Peterkop passed away in 1991 before Latvia had regained its independence.
In 1978 the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics of Institute of Physics of Latvian Academy of Sciences together with Spectroscopy Laboratory of University of Latvia organized in Riga International Conference on Atomic Physics (ICAP VI). R.Damburg chaired the Local Organizing Committee.
The LTP was organized and hosted also many USSR seminars on atomic physics. Laboratory of Theoretical Physics of Institute of Physics together with the Laboratory of Spectroscopy of University of Latvia organized the 4th European Conference of Atomic and Molecular Physics (ECAMP IV), which was held in Riga 6-10 April 1992. It was the only international conference in the Eastern Europe in the transition period of Latvia to become once more the independent State. Some Western scientists were afraid to come to Latvia at this time. Nevertheless it attracted approximately 200 foreign participants. R.Damburg refused to organize ECAMP IV in Riga. So the local organizing committee was chaired by E.Karule. In 1992 she was elected to be a head of the LTP.
In 1993 in Latvia the reorganization of science take place. In 1994 the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics of the Institute of Physics of LAS was moved to the University of Latvia. Together with the Laboratory of Spectroscopy of University of Latvia it formed a new institute: Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy. Author: E. Karule