Mykola Andreyev

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He was born in the village of Kurmany (now Sumy region). He successfully graduated from the University of Basel in 1909 and worked at Moscow and St. Petersburg’s educational and scientific institutions. In 1912–18 and 1924–25, he worked at Moscow State M. Lomonosov University. A young, energetic and talented person, Andreyev combined teaching at the University with research at the All-Union Experimental Institute of Electrical Engineering, where he headed a laboratory (1920–26). He showed good management skills and the ability to generate new ideas. In 1926–28, Andreyev was head of the acoustics department and deputy director of Leningrad Institute of Electrophysics. In 1940, he worked at the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR as head of the acoustics laboratory. In 1954, when the laboratory was transformed into the Institute of Acoustics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Andreyev became head of a department. The talented scientist was a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR since 1933 and a full member since 1953.

Mykola Andreyev’s most known scientific achievements are the development of the theory of oscillations and research in the field of acoustics. He made a great contribution to this branch of physics and was the pioneer in dealing with a wide range of problems. He developed a strict theory for sound propagation in moving mediums, the theory of wave propagation along absorbing surfaces and the theory of acoustic filters. Andreyev researched spectrum of damped oscillations, oscillation of crystal and anisotropic mediums, sound reverberation and soundproofing.

Clear understanding of the tasks and profound knowledge enabled Andreyev to determine key problems and find bold and optimal ways to solve them. The innovative scientist made a notable contribution to the development of hydroacoustics, architectural and biological acoustics. His achievements have great practical value and are used in various fields of technology. Andreyev supervised the USSR’s first research into non-linear acoustics and sound propagation in stratified mediums.

Academician Mykola Andreyev laid the foundation of modern physical and technical acoustics and founded a school in this branch of physics. The Institute of Acoustics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR bears his name.