YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS.Today, the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan attended the requiem of renowned astrophysicist, academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia Grigor Gurzadyan.

The Department of Mass Media and Public Relations of the President’s Office of the Republic of Armenia informed “Armenpress” about it.

Grigor Aram Gurzadyan was born on October 15, 1922 in Baghdad (Iraq) to a family of parents fled from Western Armenia in 1915. In 1944 he graduated from the Hydrotechnical and Constructional Departments of Yerevan Polytechnic Institute. The same year he became the post-graduate of academician Viktor Ambartsumian, and in 1948 at the age of 26 he defended his Candidate thesis on the topic “The Radiation Balance of Interstellar Gas Matter” in Moscow State University. In essence Gurzadyan was one of the main scientists of the founding team of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory. In 1955 (at the age of 33) he defended his Doctorate thesis. In 1950-1966 Gurzadyan was the Head of the Department of Physics of Stars and Nebulae of the Byurakan Observatory, in 1967-1973 he headed the branch of space researches, in 1973-1978 he headed Garni Astronomy Laboratory, in 1978-1992 he was the Head of Extra-atmospheric Astronomy Laboratory of the Byurakan Observatory, in 1992-2004 he was the Head of Garni Space Astronomy Institute. Since 1979 he was the Head of the Chair of Space Instrument-Making of Yerevan Polytechnic Institute as well. For decades he lectured theoretical astrophysics at Yerevan State University and precise mechanics at Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, in 1962 he was awarded a professorship, in 1965 he was elected a corresponding member of Armenian SSR Academy of Sciences, in 1986 a full member.

Gurzadyan’s works refer to the problems of radiation equilibrium of interstellar space, the morphological and kinematical investigations of stellar associations, diffuse and planetary nebulae, space instrument-making. He worked out the theory of formation of double-envelope nebulae, investigated the meaning of the magnetic field in formation of planetary nebulae forms, worked out a theory of star flares based on non-thermal phenomena occurring in them. Gurzadyan created a number of scientific devices and optical systems as well. The formation of automatic operation method, of the principle of optical system work of Orion Space Observatory is connected with his name. In 1990s he worked out the theories of common chromospheres (roundchromes) of close binary stars and of evolution of binary globular clusters.