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Samuil KaplanRussian astrophysicist, professor
Date of Birth: 10.10.1921
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Early Life and Education
Samuel Aronovich Kaplan was born on October 10, 1921, in Roslavl, Russia. Five years later, his family moved to Leningrad, where his father became an associate professor at the Forest Academy and his mother an English teacher.
Kaplan enrolled in the Leningrad Pedagogical Institute in 1939, pursuing a degree in mathematics. However, his studies were interrupted in November 1939 when he was drafted into the Red Army during World War II. He continued his education while serving in the army, completing his degree as a mathematics teacher in 1945.
Academic Career
After being demobilized in 1945, Kaplan entered the postgraduate program in astrophysics at Leningrad University. His fluency in English granted him access to foreign scientific literature, which he heavily relied on in his research.
Kaplan defended his doctoral dissertation, "Methods of Gas Dynamics of the Interstellar Medium," in 1957 at Moscow State University. He then became a professor at Lviv State University.
Contributions to Astrophysics
In 1957, Kaplan established an optical observation station at Lviv University. He organized an expedition to Kazakhstan to observe a solar eclipse in 1952.
His significant contributions to astrophysics included research on white dwarf energy sources, cosmic gas dynamics, and interstellar medium. He published extensively, authoring over 150 scientific papers and 17 books.
Later Life and Tragedy
Kaplan moved to Gorky in 1961, where he worked at the Institute of Radiophysics and became a professor at Gorky University. He chaired a symposium on cosmic gas dynamics in 1969 and participated in the First Soviet-American SETI conference in 1971.
On June 11, 1978, Kaplan tragically died in a train accident at Bologoye Station. His colleagues speculated that it may have been a suicide, but this remains uncertain.
Legacy
Kaplan's influence on astrophysics continues today. Asteroid 1987 Kaplan was named in his honor. He is remembered as a brilliant lecturer and gifted scientist whose innovative ideas shaped the field of astrophysics.
