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PRESS RELEASE
October 8, 2009
Support Committee for Armenia's Cosmic Ray Division
For more information:
Joseph Dagdigian
(978) 772-9417
or
AnahidYeremian
(650) 926-4444
www.crdfriends.org
CRD CONTINUES ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH -
`Cosmic Ray Research in Armenia',*/ /* A 2009 article in the
international journal "Advances In Space Research" chronicles the
development of Armenia's Cosmic Ray Division (CRD) from its origin to
the present, and offers a path to the future.The article commemorates
the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Artem Alikhanyan, one of the
world's top physicists and founder of the Cosmic Ray Division and the
Yerevan Physics Institute of which Prof. Chilingarian is now the director.
Initial experiments investigating cosmic rays from the sun and distant
galaxies commenced on Mt. Aragats from 1945-1955. During this era the
main purpose of such investigations was to discover and to characterize
cosmic radiation and discover its origins, and in addition to perform
nuclear research during a time when high energy particle accelerators
were not yet available for this purpose. In essence, the sun and distant
galaxies served as particle accelerators smashing subatomic cosmic ray
particles into atoms high in the earth's atmosphere. Armenian scientists
working with their Russian counterparts, and when possible during the
Soviet era with western scientists, contributed greatly to the
understanding of nuclear and particle physics.
Some major programs which were about to commence did not proceed when
the Soviet Union and the Armenian economy collapsed. But due to the
perseverance of the CRD's scientists, who often had to work extended
periods without pay, research continued and major advances were still
made. SCACRD members Joseph and Lisa Dagdigian visited CRD in December
1999 and were told in unequivocal terms by one of CRD's senior
scientists that their research would continue no matter what - but that
it would be done in Armenia, and not in foreign countries.
CRD Maintains Its Education Role for Young Scientists
--------------------------------------- ------------------
In addition to being a brilliant scientist and manager, Artem Alikhanyan
was also a dedicated educator. In the 1960s he initiated the famous Nor
Ambert school at CRD's research station on Mt. Aragats near the ancient
Ambert fortress. Scientists and students from many countries attended
advanced courses on aspects of Cosmic Ray physics and modeling of
astrophysical processes while getting experience with modern particle
detection systems. CRD's head, Prof. Chilingarian, is continuing this
vision. CRD's Data Visualization Interactive Network (DVIN) won the
World Summit on Information Society award for the world's best e-science
project at the World Summit on Information Society in Geneva in 2005,
and the Pan-Armenian e-content Mashtots competition. Much of the work on
DVIN project was accomplished by young Armenian students and recent
graduates studying at CRD.
In September 2005 the /Solar Extreme Events (SEE-2005)/ conference was
held at Nor-Ambert, attended by 75 scientists and students from 11
countries. Many of the papers presented at this conference were by young
scientists, engineers, and students working at CRD. In October 2008 CRD
hosted the international symposium on /Forecasting of Radiation and
Geomagnetic Storms by Networks of Particle Detectors/ (FORGES). At this
conference CRD scientist Bagrat Mailyan received the Alikhanyan Award
for `best Paper by a Young Scientist' as determined by the FORGES
international board of directors. Other highly valued papers selected
were by Armen Hovhanissyan and Tigran Karapetyan.
Current and Future Developments
----------------------------------
** CRD initiated and got funding for the initial development of a world
wide network of advanced Cosmic Ray particle detectors, the /Space
Environment Viewing and Analysis Network/ (SEVAN), using innovative
detectors designed at CRD's laboratories. It is CRD's young scientists,
engineers, and students who have deployed these systems in Armenia,
Croatia, and Bulgaria with more to be installed in Slovakia, India, and
probably other countries as well. Data from these detectors will be sent
to Armenia where it will be analyzed and shared with the international
scientific community.
Diaspora as a Partner
-----------------------
The Support Committee for Armenia's Cosmic Ray Division (SCACRD) was
established in the United States in January 2000. The scientific
advances, which are mostly funded by international research
organizations, are impressive. But just as impressive is the ability of
the CRD and the Diaspora to work together for the betterment of Armenia
and the retention of talented young engineers and scientists in Armenia.
October 8, 2009
Support Committee for Armenia's Cosmic Ray Division
For more information:
Joseph Dagdigian
(978) 772-9417
or
AnahidYeremian
(650) 926-4444
www.crdfriends.org
CRD CONTINUES ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH -
`Cosmic Ray Research in Armenia',*/ /* A 2009 article in the
international journal "Advances In Space Research" chronicles the
development of Armenia's Cosmic Ray Division (CRD) from its origin to
the present, and offers a path to the future.The article commemorates
the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Artem Alikhanyan, one of the
world's top physicists and founder of the Cosmic Ray Division and the
Yerevan Physics Institute of which Prof. Chilingarian is now the director.
Initial experiments investigating cosmic rays from the sun and distant
galaxies commenced on Mt. Aragats from 1945-1955. During this era the
main purpose of such investigations was to discover and to characterize
cosmic radiation and discover its origins, and in addition to perform
nuclear research during a time when high energy particle accelerators
were not yet available for this purpose. In essence, the sun and distant
galaxies served as particle accelerators smashing subatomic cosmic ray
particles into atoms high in the earth's atmosphere. Armenian scientists
working with their Russian counterparts, and when possible during the
Soviet era with western scientists, contributed greatly to the
understanding of nuclear and particle physics.
Some major programs which were about to commence did not proceed when
the Soviet Union and the Armenian economy collapsed. But due to the
perseverance of the CRD's scientists, who often had to work extended
periods without pay, research continued and major advances were still
made. SCACRD members Joseph and Lisa Dagdigian visited CRD in December
1999 and were told in unequivocal terms by one of CRD's senior
scientists that their research would continue no matter what - but that
it would be done in Armenia, and not in foreign countries.
CRD Maintains Its Education Role for Young Scientists
--------------------------------------- ------------------
In addition to being a brilliant scientist and manager, Artem Alikhanyan
was also a dedicated educator. In the 1960s he initiated the famous Nor
Ambert school at CRD's research station on Mt. Aragats near the ancient
Ambert fortress. Scientists and students from many countries attended
advanced courses on aspects of Cosmic Ray physics and modeling of
astrophysical processes while getting experience with modern particle
detection systems. CRD's head, Prof. Chilingarian, is continuing this
vision. CRD's Data Visualization Interactive Network (DVIN) won the
World Summit on Information Society award for the world's best e-science
project at the World Summit on Information Society in Geneva in 2005,
and the Pan-Armenian e-content Mashtots competition. Much of the work on
DVIN project was accomplished by young Armenian students and recent
graduates studying at CRD.
In September 2005 the /Solar Extreme Events (SEE-2005)/ conference was
held at Nor-Ambert, attended by 75 scientists and students from 11
countries. Many of the papers presented at this conference were by young
scientists, engineers, and students working at CRD. In October 2008 CRD
hosted the international symposium on /Forecasting of Radiation and
Geomagnetic Storms by Networks of Particle Detectors/ (FORGES). At this
conference CRD scientist Bagrat Mailyan received the Alikhanyan Award
for `best Paper by a Young Scientist' as determined by the FORGES
international board of directors. Other highly valued papers selected
were by Armen Hovhanissyan and Tigran Karapetyan.
Current and Future Developments
----------------------------------
** CRD initiated and got funding for the initial development of a world
wide network of advanced Cosmic Ray particle detectors, the /Space
Environment Viewing and Analysis Network/ (SEVAN), using innovative
detectors designed at CRD's laboratories. It is CRD's young scientists,
engineers, and students who have deployed these systems in Armenia,
Croatia, and Bulgaria with more to be installed in Slovakia, India, and
probably other countries as well. Data from these detectors will be sent
to Armenia where it will be analyzed and shared with the international
scientific community.
Diaspora as a Partner
-----------------------
The Support Committee for Armenia's Cosmic Ray Division (SCACRD) was
established in the United States in January 2000. The scientific
advances, which are mostly funded by international research
organizations, are impressive. But just as impressive is the ability of
the CRD and the Diaspora to work together for the betterment of Armenia
and the retention of talented young engineers and scientists in Armenia.