A Brief Review

The tasks that were set before the new institute were to develop fundamental problems in the field of terrestrial physics and to study the goephysical fields and the crustal structure of Ukraine. An important contribution to the determination and development of major research trends at the beginning of the Institute activity were made by S. I. Subbotin, V. B. Sollogub, T. S. Lebedev, I. A. Balabushevich, V. N. Golovtsyn, S. V. Evseev, Z. A. Krutikhovskaya and other scientists.

The founder of the Institute and its first director till his death in 1976 was Seraphim Subbotin, member of the Academy, a prominent geophysicist, author of the fundamental theory of tectonogenesis. According to the theory, the Earth's mantle is the source of the Earth's crust substance and the deep mantle processes are tectonic movement generators in the lithosphere and hence the originators of various geological structures controlling the location of various minerals. This theory is elucidated by many publications of S. I. Subbotin, especially in his monographs "Processes in the Earth's Upper Mantle and their Association with Crustal Structure" (1964) and "Problems of Gravimetry. Studies of the Earth's Crust and Mantle. Theory of Tectonogenesis" (1979), and is highly estimated by the scientific community. In 1998 his name was given to the Institute of Geophysics in appreciation of his services to the Science.

In 1976, the director of the Institute became member of Academy A. V. Chekunov, and in 1992 - V. I. Starostenko.

At present, the Institute of Geophysics is the main geophysical research institute of Ukraine advanced in most important geophysical branches and operatively solving different economic problems of this country. For more than 35 years passed since its foundation it has grown to one of the greatest scientific centres of geophysics recognized as a leading coordinating organization at several scientific branches of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and some international projects.

The main scientific trends of the Institute if Geophysics are:

• tectonics, structure and dynamic processes of the continental and oceanic lithosphere;
• theory, methods, apparatus and the automatized system for geophysical researches;
• geophysical researches of the environment for studying seismicity, geodynamics and extreme phenomena in Ukraine;
• setting up structural models of geophysical media and working up (on their bases) new pulse technologies to intensify the extraction and reworking of useful minerals;

1. automated systems of solving of direct and inverse geophysical problems;
2. maps of the anomalous magnetic field of Europe scaled at 1:5000,000;
3. combined geodynamic models of the tectonosphere of the transitional zones from Eurasia - North America to Pacific and the seismogenic zones of the Pacific skirts and the Crimea;
4. a regional catalogue of earthquakes of the territory of the Alpine fold zone;
5. a data base and and an atlas of isoseists of strong earthquakes of the Vrancea region, regional maps of epicentres of the Carpathian region;
6. a density model of the lithosphere of Europe;
7. a technology of intensification of the extraction of liquid and gas hydrocarbons from underground formations;
8. technology of coal deposits degasification for pit methane utilization and ensuring security of mining;
9. a working model of the digital system of seismic information collection, the principle of operative data base formation and the algorithm of the operation of a real-time counter;
10. formation of calculation systems and software, their modification and adaptation for seismic information processing;
11. the determination of seismic engineering conditions of building sites and objects of high ecologic hazard (nuclear powerplant, hydroelectric power stations, hydrotechnical constructions, enterprises of chemical and defense industry);
12. formation of automated systems of collecting and storing of information at different monitoring;
13. combined inspection of anticorrodant and corrosional state of underground communications, gas pipes;
14. examination and inspection concerning the use of explosions in national economy.

1. EUROPROBE Projects:
• GEORIFT - geodynamics of Intracratonic Rifting. Leader of the Project - Dr. Randell A. Stephenson (Amsterdam);
• EUROBRIDGE - Palaeopterozoic Accretion of Sarmatia and Fenocsandia. Leader of the Project - Dr. Svetlana Bogdanova (Lund);
• PANCARDI - Dynamics of Ongoing Orogeny. Leader of the Project - Dr. Cestmir Tomek (Salzburg);
• DOBRE - Late Palaeozoic destabilization of the stable Moho of cratonic Europe. Leader of the Project - Dr. Randell A. Stephenson (Amsterdam);
2. IRIS - Program for Array Seismic Studies of the Continental Lithosphere. The U. S. Geological survey. Global monitoring of earthquakes.
3. GSHAP - Global Seismic Hazard Assessment. Leader of the Project - Dr. Valentine Ulomov (Moscow);
4. Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization.
5. Scientific Cooperation with Poland, Roumania, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Russia.

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Directorate

• V. I. Starostenko,  Director

Academician of the NASU, DSc, Professor
 
• V. A. Diadiura,  Deputy Director for Scientific Works

DSc
 
• A. V. Kendzera,  Deputy Director for Scientific Works

CSc
 
• V. A. Danilenko,  Deputy Director, Head of the Explosion Geodynamics Section

Corresponding member of NASU, DSc, Professor
 
• Y. S. Sapuzhok,  Deputy Director for Scientific Works, Head of the Carpathian Section

DSc
 
• L. A. Khilinsky,  Deputy Director for Common Questions

Divisions Structure and Staff

1. The Division of Earth's Deep-Seated Processes and Gravimetry
2. The Division of Geological Problems of Deep Geophysical Processes
3. The Division of Regional Problems of Geophysics
4. The Seismology Division
5. The Division of Complex Interpretation of Potential Fields
6. The Division of Theoretical Problems of Applied Geophysics
7. The Division of Geothermy and Recent Geodynamics
8. The Division of Tectonosphere
9. The Division of Tectonophysics
10. The Seismometry Division
11. The Division of Mathematical Modelling of Geophysical Fields
12. The Division of Geomagnetism
13. The Division of Physical Properties of Earth's Substance
14. The Mathematical Geophysics Division
15. The Division of Automatization of Geophysical Researches
16. The Division of Carpathian Region's Seismicity

The Explosion Geodynamics Section

1. The Division of Inhomogeneous Substances Dynamics
2. The Division of Strained Solid Body Dynamics
3. The Division of Bore Hole Geotechnologies
4. The Division of Interchange Processes Intensification

The Carpathian Section

1. The Division of Seismotectonic Research Methods
2. The Division of Geoelectromagnetic Methods

Site Statistics and Credits

edited by M.Maistrello (CNR-IRRS, Milan, Italy)  for INTAS-IA-96-03 Action.