Skip to main content

Scientific rationale

Studies of radiation mechanisms and processes of spectra formation in astrophysical objects are among the fundamental tasks of modern astrophysics. A powerful tool for the solution of these problems is provided by the theory of radiative transfer, which has been substantially contributed to and developed by the full member of the Soviet (Russian) Academy of Sciences Victor Victorovich Sobolev. The Sobolev method to solve the radiative transfer equations, among his numerous results in the field of radiative transfer, became classical nowadays. In 1947-1998 V.V. Sobolev was the head of the Chair of Astrophysics of the Leningrad/St. Petersburg State University and a leader of the Leningrad/St. Petersburg astrophysical school, which had won international recognition for many valuable results.

The 100th birthday anniversary of V.V. Sobolev will be celebrated on September 2, 2015. On this occasion the Saint-Petersburg State University organizes an international conference “Radiation mechanisms of astrophysical objects: classics today”, which will be held in St. Petersburg from September, 21 to September, 25, 2015. The conference will highlight recent advances in the field of interests of V.V. Sobolev. The conference will include plenary sessions with review talks by internationally recognized Russian and foreign scientists and a memorial session. It will continue with parallel sessions on:

  • radiative transfer theory,
  • interstellar matter,
  • stellar atmospheres and circumstellar matter, planetary atmospheres,
  • high-energy astrophysics and cosmology

at which original results in various branches of modern astrophysics will be presented.