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Approved for Release 2026
Intelligence Information Report
This moterial contoine Information affecling the Motionol Defense of the United States withho
the mening of the Esplonage lowe, Title 1B, V.S.C.
Sera 192 and 794, the Promaminion
or revelation of which in any
полли в en
mouthorizad person la pretibitad by lava.
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGINCE
€ 0-18
COUNTRY
USSR
REPOPT NO.
SUBJECT
Speculative Paper by N Kardasher and
A Sakharov on Charged Mass in Space
at Conference on Origina of Life,
DATE DISTR. .
NO. PAGES
Armenia, 6-8 September 1971/Low
Scientific Level of Other Soviet
REFERENCES
Papers
DATE OF INFO. 6-8 September 1971
PLACE & DATE ACQ. BY SOURCE Yerevan/6-8 September 1271
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
SOURCE
00-8-321/07709-72.
10 Apr 72
2
DCS Case 57,026
US citizen
This report consists
of edited abstracts from a letter received from a reliable colleague
who attended the Yerevan Conference.
1. At the Conference on the Origins of Life in Yerevan, Armenia, SSR,
6-8 September 1971, NS Kardashev, Institute for Space Research, Moscov,
read an interesting but highly speculative paper he had prepared on
general relativity and the possibility of a body collapsing into a
olack hole in space.
His co-author was the internationally famous
theoretical physicist, Andrei D Sakharov.
Kardashev is very much like
his superior and former teacher at the Institute, I S Shklovskly, in
his approach to scientific problems. He is not afraid to speculate in
his effort to find a solution.
2.
The Kardashev-Sakharov paper concerned
the authors' study of what happens
when a charged mass or body collapses in space.
Kardashev stated that,
if it vere not charged, the mass would just collapse past the point of
gravitational singularity and be gone forever.
would close in on itself and have no more
world.
The Soviets speculated on what would happen if the mass were
22515
In other words, the mass
contact with the outside
charged. They stated that then the mass would be able to bounce. It
would collapse but bounce back out.
However, the mass will come back
into a different part of space time.
3. After his presentation, Kardashey told a US attendee that Sakharov was
mostly interested in this charged mass phenomenon study because it in-
dicates that the structure of space may be much more complicated then
is presently thought.
Kardashev was interested in the study from the
viewpoint of what implications it has for astrophysics, provided the
basic physics of the phenomenon is correct. The US attendee felt the
authors'
speculation was a little fantastic and they had taken off in
a rather wild way.
However, he believed their paper was grounded in
good and sound physics.
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4. The US attendee considers Kardashev to be very competent technically
and further to be very self-possessed.
He recalled an incident in the
spring of 1971 when Kardashev, L I Matveyenko ond he visited Academician
Lev Artsimovich, secretary of the Academy's Department of General
Physics and Astronomy.
a Conmunist Party member and very expert in political matters.
almost cringing in Artsimovich's presence whereas Kardasher was cool
and confident in his business-like discuss ons with the senior Academi-
cian.
5.
In general, the scientific level of most of the Soviet papers nt this
conference was not very high. One little known Soviet [source could not
recall his nanel gave a very naive paper on the detectability of pinnets.
Another Soviet, who was a member of a committee the USSR has established
to investigate unusual phenomena, in other words, flying saucers, Gave
a serious talk which was actually very humorous.
Kis approach was,
"Vell, of course, we know there isn't anything to this alleged phenome-
non (flying saucers), but on the other hand--."
Shklovskiy and other Soviets joked and laughed and obviously did not.
take the speaker's remarks seriously. Shklovskiy remarked later to a
US attendee that the "flying saucer committee" consists of many poli-
ticians, theorists, historians and similar type people. It has little
if any scientific talent.
6. Shklovskiy gave a general, entertaining talk on some interesting but
Vitaliy L Ginzburg, one of the leadin, astrononers
basis of physic:l theory, that is,
the identification and comparison of fundamental assumtions in physics.
Ginzburg, has a first rate mind and is sounder in his physics knowledge
than Shilovskiy. Ginzburg thinks realistically, which wa: shown in hi:
answer co a US attendee's question about the Conference. "he Sovier:
was asked whether the Conference was worthwhile in that it as mostly
devoted to theoretical subjects, very remote from tangible goals.
Ginzhurg said,
"Well, if it helps to build up support for the Soviet
reseorchers to get new astronomical equipment, then certainly the Con-
lorence maxes sense."
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