Chronicle

At the Commission on the History of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the USSR Academy of Sciences

On January 13, 1948, a regular meeting of the Commission on the History of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of the USSR Academy of Sciences was held.

Acad. V. I. Smirnov, in a brief address, reported that he had familiarized himself with the history of Euler’s archive, preserved in the Library of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and had established the presence of gaps in the archive.

In conclusion, he pointed out the desirability, in accordance with the instructions given on this matter by Acad. S. I. Vavilov, of beginning the study of Euler’s archive with his works on physics and, in particular, on dioptrics.

Prof. I. I. Shafranovsky, in his report, stated that the edition of the selected works of Acad. E. S. Fedorov now being prepared, under the editorship of Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences A. V. Shubnikov, would contain his principal works on the theory of symmetry. These include: “The Basic Formulas of Analytic Geometry in Improved Form,” “Symmetry of Finite Figures,” and “Symmetry of Regular Systems of Figures.” The last work contains the famous derivation of the 230 space groups corresponding to the only possible geometrical laws according to which elementary particles are arranged in crystalline structures.

The speaker further indicated that, in addition to Fedorov’s own works, the book would include an article on the significance of the 230 Fedorov groups in modern crystallography by Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences N. V. Belov, an essay on the life and work of E. S. Fedorov compiled by Prof. I. I. Shafranovsky, and a brief history of the derivation of the 230 groups, set forth by G. B. Bokii and I. I. Shafranovsky. At the end of the book a bibliography of the works of E. S. Fedorov will be appended.

In conclusion, Prof. Shafranovsky noted that the publication of Fedorov’s selected works should be regarded only as a first step in the publication of his writings, since it does not include the classic works on the theodolite method in crystal optics and goniometry, the well-known works on crystal-chemical analysis, and numerous articles on the new (projective) geometry. In connection with the approaching Fedorov anniversaries (30 years since his death—1949, and the centenary of his birth—1953), the need is becoming urgent for the publication of a complete collected works of the great scholar.

Prof. M. V. Savostyanova reported that, at the suggestion of S. I. Vavilov, she had prepared for publication, for issuance in the series “Classics of Science,” a collection of classic works on the photoelectric effect. The publication of such a collection is very timely, since the significance of photoelectric phenomena in modern science and technology is enormous. The works of the first period in the study of the external photoelectric effect (1887–1912) may already be considered classical, and they have been included in the collection being issued. The collection opens with the works of Hertz, who first discovered the fact of the action of light (ultraviolet) on an electric discharge.

A very great role in the further study of this phenomenon was played by the work of Professor A. G. Stoletov of Moscow University (1887–1890). His results, obtained in a short time under difficult working conditions, not only led to the establishment of the basic laws of the external photoelectric effect, but also created a basis for subsequent work; in particular, Lenard, Ramsay, Richardson, and Thomson clarified the nature of the carriers in photoelectric phenomena (electrons); Einstein’s remarkable work established the quantum character of the photoelectric effect.

The first period in the history of the photoelectric effect ends with the work of A. F. Ioffe, who traced the individual elementary acts in the process of the removal of electrons.

The collection, which includes the works of the authors listed, will have a volume of 10–12 printer’s sheets. The general editing, afterword (historical essay), notes, and also the translation of articles by foreign authors belong to M. V. Savostyanova.

Docent N. M. Raskin reported on new materials on the history of photography in Russia, discovered in the Archive of the Academy of Sciences.

Among these materials is a report on the first scientific experiments in photography, carried out at the Petersburg Academy of Sciences in May 1839. The report was drawn up by Academician Fritzsche. Attached to it are photographs made by him at that same time.

At the first news (at the beginning of 1839) of the invention of photography in France and of the work of F. Talbot in England, our academicians-naturalists (K. Baer and F. Brandt) asked Academician I. Kh. Hamel, who was leaving on an assignment abroad, to ascertain the essence of the new invention and the possibility of applying it to scientific work. Upon arriving in London, Hamel familiarized himself with the nature of Talbot’s invention and sent to Petersburg a description of the process and all the necessary materials. Everything received was viewed with interest at meetings of the academic conference, and Academician Fritzsche was instructed to test the materials received and to verify Talbot’s process.

On May 23, 1839, Fritzsche reported to the Conference the results of the experiments he had carried out, and how, as a result of his note, he had managed to modify Talbot’s process, replacing the hyposulfite of ammonia used by the latter (for fixing images) with ammonia. Fritzsche attached to the note prints made by his method. The method of fixing images with ammonia is still used in light-copying.

The materials discovered make it possible to establish the exact date of the first scientific works on photography in Russia, as well as, probably, the first scientific works on photography in general, since scientific works in this field were carried out abroad later.

The materials were prepared jointly with the director of the Archive of the Academy of Sciences, G. A. Knyazev, under the direction of T. P. Kravets.

During the lecture N. M. Raskin demonstrated several photographic pictures that first appeared in Russia.

I. Radovsky