Iosif Yohvidov Soviet mathematician of the M. G. Krein school Date of Birth: 20.08.1919

1. Soviet Mathematician: Iosif Iosifovich Okhvidov
2. A Life of Mathematics and Military Service
3. Academic Career and Research
4. The Indefinite Moment Problem
5. Family and Legacy

Soviet Mathematician: Iosif Iosifovich Okhvidov

Iosif Iosifovich Okhvidov (1921-2006) was a prominent mathematician renowned for his groundbreaking research in indefinite metrics and other areas.

A Life of Mathematics and Military Service

Born in Belarus in 1921, Okhvidov excelled in mathematics from a young age. In June 1941, he graduated summa cum laude from Odessa State University, but received his diploma by mail while serving in the army.

Okhvidov fought with distinction throughout World War II as an artillery supply assistant. He earned various military awards, including the prestigious Order of the Red Star and the Order of the Patriotic War.

Academic Career and Research

After the war, Okhvidov resumed his education. He completed his postgraduate studies in Odessa in 1950 and defended his doctoral thesis in 1967. Subsequently, he received a professorship at Voronezh State University, where he remained until his retirement.

Okhvidov made seminal contributions to the geometry of Hilbert and Banach spaces with indefinite metrics. He introduced the concept of "r, k-characteristics" and "r, k, l-characteristics" for Hankel and Toeplitz matrices and forms, which became widely known as "Okhvidov's indices."

The Indefinite Moment Problem

Okhvidov, along with his mentor M. G. Krein, developed the indefinite moment problem, a new and influential direction in the field of functional analysis. This problem concerns the representation of functions as sums of positive operators on a Hilbert space.

Family and Legacy

Okhvidov's father, Semyon V. Okhvidov, was a lawyer, and his mother, Liya B. Zeldes, was a homemaker. He was married to Anna A. Karalnik, an English teacher and translator.

Okhvidov had two children: Eugene, a mathematician, and Alina, a translator and journalist. He mentored numerous students, many of whom went on to distinguished careers in academia around the world.

Iosif Iosifovich Okhvidov passed away in 2006, leaving behind a legacy of scientific discovery and a lasting impact on the mathematical community. His contributions continue to inspire and guide research in various areas of mathematics.