CHRONICLES

NIKOLAI ALEKSANDROVICH R ZHANITSYN: SEVENTIETH BIIRTHDAY

In December 1978, Honored Scientist and Technician, Doctor of Technological Sciences, Professor Nikolai Aleksandrovich Rzhanitsyn observed his seventieth birthday. Upon his com- pleting the Higher Engineering and Technology School in 1931, Nikolai Aleksandrovich studied planning for i0 years and worked on the construction of large hydrotechnical works. During construction of the Moscow Canal in 1931-1937 he performed complicated hydraulic calculations and canal analyses, as well as analyses of the installation of the lvankov and Pirogov hy- drosystems, locks, and pump stations. From 1937 to 1941, during the construction of the Kuibyshev hydrosystem, and subsequently in the planning of its administration, he conducted laboratory research on the planned works. From 1941 to 1945 he participated in a special ex- pedition at the northwestern front; the expedition was subsequently sent to the Urals for the planning and construction of a hydroelectric station on the Tur River.

In 1945, after defending his Candidate's dissertation, N. A. Rzhanitsyn was named Direc- tor of the Naval Hydrophysical Station of the AS USSR, where he conducted scientific researGh. In 1947 he transferred to scientific research at the Central Sclentific-Research Institute of the Economics and Exploitation of Water Transport (TsNII~VT) of the Ministry of the River Fleet of the RFSFR, where for eight years he was Deputy Director of the Institute and later a department head. The major result of his work during this period was the development of a departmental collective underhls guidance and with his direct participation and, in col- laboration with neighboring industrial organizations, of a new system for improving the na- vlgability of rivers. From 1952, simultaneously with his principal work, he was involved in pedagogic activity at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, and subsequently at the Kulbyshev Moscow Construction Engineering Institute.

In 1958 he defended a doctoral dissertation on the topic "Hydrologic and morphometric characteristics of various rivers," and in 1960 he was awarded the title of Professor. In 1962 he was transferred to work at the P. Lumumba University of the Friendship of Peoples and was selected to be head of the department of hydraulic and hydrotechnical works.

N. A. Rzhanitsyn is a noted scholar in the field of river hydraulics, hydrologics, and channel processes. His work involves problematic questions of the theory of channel pro- cesses, the structure of river systems, irregular motion, and the movement of water along artlficial channels. He has published more than 40 works on these problems, including four monographs, which amount to a new scientific direction in the theory of river systems and

Translated from Gidrotekhnicheskoe Stroitel'stvo, No. 4, p. 58, April, 1979.

412 0018-8220/79/0004-0412507.50 �9 1979 Plenum Publishing Corporation

CHRONICLES 413

channel processes. Some of his work has been reported at international congresses. In ad- dition, he holds patents on four inventions. During the past i0 years he completed further scientific research on problems related to the development of the Lenin-Karakum canal.

N. A. Rzhanitsyn is a member of academic councils of his department and university, a member of the commission on resource conservation for the State Committee on Science and Technology of the Ministry of Soviets of the USSR, a member of the special scientific council of the Moscow Hydromelioratlve Institute, a member and consultant for the technical council of the Ministry of the River Fleet of the RSFSR, a member of the International Association for Hydraulic Research, and a member of the Soviet National Committee of this association; he is also a consultant for the Minlstry of Water Economics of the USSR, the Ministry of Energy of the USSR, and the USSR Gosplan.

His work for party and society was noted by honorary diplomas from the Oktyabr and Chere- mushkin RC CPSS, and his name was recorded on the district honor roll. In 1967 he was awarded the Badge of Honor for his great contribution to the training of high-quality specialists for developing nations and in connection with the fifth anniversary of the university. In 1974, for his superior contribution to the development of Soviet science and technology and in recognition of his 40 years of scientific and pedagogical activity, he was granted the title Honored Scientist and Technician of the RSFSR. In 1968, for solving problems con- cerning the development of the Karakum canal and for training regional cadres in the sciences, he was awarded an honorary degree by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Turkmen SSR. He was also awarded honorary degrees by the Ministry of Higher and Middle Vocational Educa- tion of the USSR and the Ministry of the River Fleet of the RSFSR, and the VTsSPS diploma and medals.

On observing the 70th birthday of Nikolai Aleksandrovich Rzhanitsyn, scientific hydro- technical circles and the editors of the journal Hydrotechnical Construction warmly congratu- late him on this important anniversary and sincerely wish him good health and future succes- ses in developing hydrotechnical science.