ALEKSANDRA ANDREEVNA GLAGOLEVA-ARKADIEVA

(1884–1945)

On October 30, 1945, the well-known physicist, professor of Moscow State University, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Aleksandra Andreevna Glagoleva-Arkadieva passed away. She gained worldwide renown through her work in the field of the shortest electromagnetic waves, in the radio-engineering part called microwaves.

Aleksandra Andreevna was born on February 16/28, 1884, in the village of Tovarkovo, Tula Region. While still in secondary school she acquired an interest in physics,

astronomy and mathematics. From 1900 to 1906 she worked as a teacher at the school in her native village. From 1906 to 1910 Aleksandra Andreevna studied at the Higher Courses for Women in Moscow, where her teachers were Professors Davydovsky, Shtern, and Eikhenvald, who developed in her a burning interest in science and a love of physical experiment. Upon completing the courses, Aleksandra Andreevna was retained as an assistant in the department of physics.

After the revolution Aleksandra Andreevna continued to work in the department of physics of the 2nd Medical Institute, which had been formed on the basis of the Higher Courses for Women, and in 1918 she began working in the physics-and-mathematics faculty of Moscow State University. In 1930 A. Aleksandra Andreevna headed the department of physics of the 2nd Medical Institute; in 1933 she was elected a full member of the Scientific Research Institute of Physics of Moscow State University; in 1935 she was awarded (without defending a dissertation) the academic degree of Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. From 1931 to 1939 Aleksandra Andreevna headed the department of general physics in the biological, geological-soil, and geographical faculties of Moscow State University.

At the beginning of her career, during the First World War, Aleksandra Andreevna worked actively in the field of roentgenology: the result of this work was a roentgen stereometer, which made it possible to determine precisely the position of metallic fragments in the body of the wounded. In its time this was the first precise instrument of its kind, based on a rigorous theory. It has retained its significance up to the present day.

But Aleksandra Andreevna gained the greatest renown through her research in the field of microwaves, where she succeeded in filling the gap between the shortest electromagnetic waves obtained by electrical methods and the infrared rays arising as a result of molecular vibrations. This gap covered the interval from 6 mm (Lebedev’s waves, 1895) to 343 microns (Rubens’ waves, 1911) and for a long time could not be filled. Only in 1923 did Nichols and Tear obtain waves of length 1.8 mm, using specially made electric dipoles.

The experimental difficulties of generating microwaves arose from the fact that, at such short wavelengths, the radiators had to be of very small size, were easily burned out in the discharge process, and gave negligible power.

To eliminate these difficulties, A. A. developed a “mass radiator”; in this apparatus small metal filings, suspended in a nonconducting liquid, were used as oscillating systems, from which they were continuously extracted by a rotating wheel.

The continuous replacement of filings under the electrodes feeding the radiator eliminated the difficulties associated with their burning out. The random arrangement of the filings initiated a “white” radiation embracing a continuous interval of frequencies; the large number of filings simultaneously participating in the discharge contributed to an increase in the radiation power.

A detailed investigation of the operation of the radiator, carried out by A. A. in a series of works begun in 1922 and continuing up to her death, showed that the radiator makes it possible to obtain wavelengths from 50 mm to 82 microns, i.e., to far more than cover the remaining inaccessible gap.

Against the background of a continuous spectrum of radiation, A. A. discovered two intense lines, whose wavelength was determined by the dimensions of the filings and was caused by the oscillation of an individual metallic particle or by the joint operation of two similar particles.

The original methods developed by A. A. indicated ways of monochromatizing the radiation, of creating a quantitative theory of the mass radiator, and of increasing the radiation power; she also devised a variety of apparatus for detecting the waves of the mass radiator.

In addition, A. A. studied the interaction of this radiation with matter and began investigations of the biological action of microwaves.

ALEKSANDRA ANDREEVNA GLAGOLEVA-ARKAD’EVA

A. A.’s work on microwaves, which aroused great interest upon its first publication, is again becoming topical in our day, when radio engineering is embracing more and more the field of very short electromagnetic waves.

A. A. Glagoleva-Arkad’eva

In addition to the extensive and fruitful scientific work carried out in the Maxwell Magnetic Laboratory at Moscow State University, A. A. conducted a great deal of teaching work, giving a number of courses in branches of physics at Moscow State University,

at the 2nd Medical Institute and at the Workers’ University attached to the 2nd Moscow State University, and took a lively interest in the first steps of beginning scientific workers who appeared in the Magnetic Laboratory, where A. A. was an active participant in the scientific colloquia.

The author gratefully recalls the attention shown to him—a diploma student—by A. A., who closely followed the first attempts of the beginning physicist to set up a scientific experiment and helped with her valuable guidance.

A. A. lived an intensely full public life in the capital, working in higher-school public organizations; and during the Second World War she organized a committee of women activists under the Regional Committee of the Union of Higher-School Workers.

The bright memory of A. A.—a scholar, teacher, and splendid person—will long be preserved among those who knew her, and A. A.’s scientific achievements will forever enter the treasury of science.

N. N. Malov

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE PRINTED WORKS OF

A. A. GLAGOLEVA-ARKADIEVA

Application of the stereoroentgenogrammetric method in medicine. — Vestn. rentgenol. i radiolog., 1921, vol. I, No. 3—4, pp. 301—320.

On the application of stereometry to roentgenography. — In: Academic Center of the People’s Commissariat of Education. Scientific Proceedings. Collection 3. Physics. Moscow, 1922, pp. 292—319.

A method for obtaining the shortest electromagnetic waves. — In: Proceedings of the Third Congress of the Russian Association of Physicists in N.-Novgorod, September 17—21, 1922. — N. Novgorod, 1923, pp. 39—40.

A mass radiator as a source of ultrahertz waves down to 82 microns. — Telegr. i telef. bez provodov, 1924, No. 23, pp. 113—114.

A new source of short electromagnetic waves of ultrahertz frequency. From the work of the magnetometric department of the State Electrotechnical Institute. — Tr. Gos. Ekspert. Elektrotekhn. in-ta, 1924, No. 2, pp. 1—20.

Eine neue Strahlungsquelle der kurzen elektromagnetischen Wellen von ultrahertzscher Frequenz. — Zs. f. Phys., 1924, 24, No. 3—4, 153—165.

Short electromagnetic waves of Wavelength up to 82 microns. Nature, 1924, 113, Nr. 2844, p. 640.

A new scale of electromagnetic waves. — Usp. fiz. nauk, 1926, vol. VI, No. 3, pp. 216—241.

Physics. — In: Ten Years of Soviet Science. Moscow—Leningrad, 1927, pp. 107—186. Together with N. N. Andreev and others.

Messungen in dem Gebiet der Ultrahertzschen und der Wärmewellen. — Zs. f. Phys., 1929, 58, No. 1—2, 134—138.

Ueber die Intensität und Zusammensetzung der Strahlung von verschiedenen Punkten des Massenstrahlers. — Zs. f. Phys., 1929, 55, No. 3—4, 234—251.

Mass radiator. — In: Technical Encyclopedia, vol. 12, Moscow, 1930, pp. 696—697.

Distribution of the radiation energy in the radiating section of a mass radiator. — In: Contemporary Problems of Electromagnetism. Collection dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Moscow Magnetic Laboratory. Moscow—Leningrad, 1931, pp. 79—86.

Composition of the radiation at various points of the generating section of a mass radiator and measurement

Aleksandra Andreevna Glagoleva-Arkadieva

with a mercury-quartz lamp.—In: Contemporary Problems of Electromagnetism. A collection dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Moscow Magnetic Laboratory. Moscow–Leningrad, 1931, pp. 87–96.

Separation of monochromatic rays from the white radiation of a mass radiator. Reports of the Academy of Sciences. New Series, 3, 6, 415–418, 1934.

Same under the title: Aussondern von monochromatischen Strahlen aus der weissen Strahlung des Massenstrahlers. C. R. (Doklady), 3, 6, 416, 1934.

On the discussion of the draft O.S.T. “Scale of Frequencies and Waves of Electromagnetic Oscillations. Classification and Terms.”—Journal of Technical Physics, 1936, 6, No. 4, pp. 756–764.

The complete electromagnetic spectrum.—Socialist Reconstruction and Science, 1936, No. 1, pp. 32–51.

The scale of frequencies and waves of electromagnetic oscillations.—Advances in the Physical Sciences, 1936, vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 522–529. Article without signature.

Faraday.—In: Great Medical Encyclopedia, vol. 33, Moscow, 1936, pp. 521–522.

Mass radiator.—In: Dictionary of Physics, vol. 3, Moscow, 1937, pp. 487–489.

Die Erzeugung von Zentimeter—Millimeter und Hektomikronwellen. Internationale Kurzwellen-Kongress. Wien, 1937, 101.

From Hertz waves to light waves.—Physics at School, 1938, No. 5–6, pp. 4–10.

Filters for very short electric waves.—Proceedings of the Academy of Sciences, Department of Technical Sciences, 1938, No. 10, pp. 45–66.

Aleksandr Grigorievich Stoletov. On the centenary of his birth. Physics at School, 1939, No. 4, pp. 3–7.

On the theory of the action of the mass radiator.—Reports of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1941, vol. XXXII, No. 8, pp. 540–542.

Same under the title: On the theory of the mass-radiator. C. R. (Doklady). Acad. des Sciences de l’URSS, 1941, 32, No. 9.

A method of resonance thermoelements for investigating mixed radiation in the ultrahertz region.—Reports of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1941, vol. XXXII, No. 8, pp. 543–545. Jointly with N. A. Sokolov.

Same under the title: On the method of resonance termocouples used for the investigation of complete radiation in the ultrahertz band. C. R. (Doklady). Acad. des Sciences de l’URSS, 1943, 40, 8, 306.

Electric oscillations in the grains of a mass radiator.—Reports of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1943, vol. 40, No. 8, pp. 348–351.

Same under the title: Electric Vibrations in Particles of a Mass Radiator. C. R. (Doklady). Acad. des Sciences de l’URSS, 1943, 40, 8, 306.

The principal waves in the spectrum of a mass radiator.—Reports of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1944, vol. XIV, No. 1, pp. 10–12.

Same under the title: The principal waves in the spectrum of the mass-radiator. C. R. (Doklady). Acad. des Sciences de l’URSS, 1944, 45, No. 1, 10–13.

On the theory of the action of the mass radiator.—Scientific Notes of Moscow State University, 1945, issue 77, pp. 220–239.

On the composition of the spectrum of the radiation of a mass radiator. Jointly with N. A. Sokolov. Scientific Notes of Moscow State University, issue IV (Physics).

Distribution in the spectrum of a mass radiator of intensity measured by resonant thermoelements.—In: A. A. Glagoleva-Arkadieva, Printed Works. Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow–Leningrad, 1946.