physics

Ilya Likhtarev

Ilya Likhtarev is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Ilya Likhtarev rather than just read about it. In short: Ilya Aronovich Likhtarev (1 February 1935 – 14 January 2017) was a Ukrainian biophysicist, who specialized in radiation dosimetry and radiological protection. Likhtarev was the founder of Ukrainian Radiation Protection institute of Academy of Technological Sciences of Ukraine, and a member of the ICRP (1992–2006) and National Commission of Radiological Protection of the USSR and Ukraine.

Key takeaways

Ilya Likhtarev belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
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Reproduce the core statement of Ilya Likhtarev from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Ilya Aronovich Likhtarev (1 February 1935 – 14 January 2017) was a Ukrainian biophysicist, who specialized in radiation dosimetry and radiological protection. Likhtarev was the founder of Ukrainian Radiation Protection institute of Academy of Technological Sciences of Ukraine, and a member of the ICRP (1992–2006) and National Commission of Radiological Protection of the USSR and Ukraine.

Biography Likhtarev spent his childhood in Kyiv (with the exception of evacuation during World War II). In 1955 he graduated from technical school in Kyiv (with excellency). In 1962 he graduated All-Union Correspondence Polytechnic Institute with an engineer-physicist qualification and returned to Kyiv. He worked in the radiology group of Kyiv Regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Station in 1960–1964. In 1968 he was awarded the degree of Candidate of Engineering Sciences from St. Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene (IRH) with a specialization in radiation safety. The subject of his thesis was radioactive iodine (scientific supervisors Leonid Ilyin and Victor Shamov). Likhtarev founded laboratory of radiation biophysics and became its head at IRH in that year. The laboratory performed research on metabolism of radionuclides of iodine, tritium, strontium, calcium, plutonium and other radionuclides in humans and animals. In 1976 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Sciences in Physical and Mathematical Sciences with specialization "03.00.02" (biophysics), and a professor in 1984. After Chernobyl disaster Likhtarev returned to Ukraine, since May 1986 he worked in Kyiv on Chernobyl. In October 1986 he became the head of department of dosimetry and radiation hygiene at Institute of hygiene and epidemiology (current title — National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine). In 1995 he became a director general of Ukrainian Radiation Protection Institute of the Academy of Technological Sciences of Ukraine as well as head of the department of radiation safety there.

Scientific activity Field of scientific interests of Likhtarev included simulation of radionuclide transfer process in environmental and in human body; dosimetry of internal and external exposure; radiation protection and safety, application of dose limits; radiation safety applied to accident at nuclear power plant; environmental impact of Chernobyl accident. In 1968 Likhtarev was awarded a Candidate of Sciences in Engineering. Likhtarev made a contribution to liquidation of the consequences of Chernobyl accident, to creation of national system of radiological protection. and to further development of dosimetry, biokinetics of radionuclides in the human body and radiation epidemiology. He proposed the system of retrospective estimation of radiation dose to thyroid for all population of Ukraine. Later this system was developed and implemented. He started development and spread of the national system of general dosimetric passportization of settlements of Ukraine, which were impacted by radioactive contamination after Chernobyl fallout. From 1978 to 1991 Likhtarev was a member of the National Commission of Radiological Protection of the USSR, from 1992 to 2006 he was a member of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. He was head of international projects CEC-CIS, COSYMA, amd INCO COPERNICUS. In 1992 Likhtarev became the head of commission on hygienic standards and guidelines for radioactive substances and radiation factor (Kyiv). From 2000 to 2007 he was head freelance specialist in radiation hygiene of Ministry of Health of Ukraine. In 2002 he became the head of expert commission for state sanitary-epidemiological expertise in highly complicated cases as an aid to Chief sanitary medical officer of Ukraine. In 2002 Ilya Liktarev was elected a member of Radiation Safety Standards Committee of IAEA. In 2009 he was appointed the head of consultative council on radiation protection of State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine. 25 Candidates of sciences and 10 Doctors of science were the part of scientific school headed by Likhtarev.

Scientific publications Likhtarev published over 600 scientific works, including the publications of International commission of radiological protection, UNSCEAR, World Health Organization, IAEA. Scientific works were published in journals Health Physics, Radiation Research, Radiation Protection Dosimetry, in Germany, Japan, Russia, Belarus, USA, Austria, Israel, China, Argentina, Brazil. He edited 15 books, focused on dosimetry, epidemiology, and the affects of the Chernobyl disaster.

Awards and honorary titles State prize of the USSR in the field of science and engineering (1983) for participation in development of the system of radiation control for soviet atomic centers in Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk. State Prize of Ukraine in Science and Technology (2004). Honored Scientist of Ukraine (2011). Academician Victor Glushkov medal (2014). Diploma of United nations "for a distinct personal contribution to implementation of international Chernobyl programs and setting high standards in the name of prosperity of Ukraine" (2016).

Personal life Ilya Likhtarev was married twice. His first wife Tamara died, he was survived by his second wife Lionella Kovgan. Ilya Likhtarev had two sons Mikhail and Dmitry.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Ilya Likhtarev

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Ilya Likhtarev claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Ilya Likhtarev before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Ilya Likhtarev ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Ilya Likhtarev

In research: Ilya Likhtarev appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Ilya Likhtarev in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Ilya Likhtarev is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1935 births, 2017 deaths, Bauman Moscow State Technical University alumni, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Ilya Likhtarev outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Ilya Likhtarev in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Ilya Likhtarev means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Ilya Likhtarev out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ilya Likhtarev in simple terms?

Why does Ilya Likhtarev matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Ilya Likhtarev?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Ilya Likhtarev.