Geophysical Institute - the Affiliate of Vladikavkaz Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences

History of the Geophysical Institute - the Affiliate of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science Federal Scientific Center “Vladikavkaz Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences”

Geophysical Institute - the Affiliate of VSC RAS (GPI VSC RAS) - was established as the Geophysical Center for Experimental Diagnostics under the Decree of the Government of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania No. 170 of July 10, 1996.

In 2003 the Institute was included in RAS and in 2014 it was renamed GPI VSC RAS. In compliance with the Order of the Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations of Russia dated March 25, 2016 No. 110, the Institute was reorganized in the form of affiliation to the VSC RAS.

According to the staff schedule, GPI VSC RAS includes 56 staffing positions, including the directorate, five departments, three laboratories and two research groups.

In 2003, a scientific and technical library was organized at the GPI VSC RAS, which currently numbers about 2000 pieces of literature on geophysics, geology, geoecology, mining, physics, mathematics and philosophy.

In 2004, postgraduate studies in the specialities 25.00.10 - “Geophysics, geophysical methods of mineral exploration” and 25.00.36 - “Geoecology” were opened at the GPI VSC RAS. 9 candidate dissertations were defended by the staff members of the GPI VSC RAS.

Since 2006, an integrated educational structure “The Basic Department of Applied Geophysics” of the Mining and Geological Faculty of the North Caucasian Mining and Metallurgical Institute (NCMMI (STU)) has been operating on the basis of the GPI VSC RAS.

In 2019, an Agreement on the creation and maintenance of the basic department of “Geophysics and Geoinformatics” (which is a structural unit of NOSU after K.L. Khetagurov carrying out its activities on the basis of the GPI VSC RAS for training in relevant areas of science and technology) was signed.

Under terms of the agreement on the organization and conducting practices between NCMMI (STU) and the GPI VSC RAS No. 19/p dated June 25, 2015, students of the NCMMI (STU), studying in the field of education 11.03.04 “Electronics and Nanoelectronics” and 20.03.01 “Technosphere Safety” are annually trained at GPI VSC RAS.

In 2011, the Scientific Research Centers of RAS (SSC, VSC, DSC, KBSC, Complex Institute named after Kh.I. Ibragimov) established the scientific journal “Geology and Geophysics of the South of Russia” which is published by GPI VSC RAS. Since 2015, the journal has been included in the Higher Attestation Commission List of leading peer-reviewed scientific journals and publications.

GPI VSC RAS is the organizer of the regular International Conference “Dangerous Natural and Anthropogenic Geological Processes in the North Caucasus”, which resulted in the proceedings publication (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2019) and the International School-Seminar for Young Scientists “Seismic Hazard and Seismic Risk Management in the Caucasus”, as a result of which proceedings were published (2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013). In 2014 GPI VSC RAS along with the VSC RAS was the organizer of the International Conference “Geodynamics, Volcanism, Seismicity and Exogenous Geological Processes of a Natural and Anthropogenic Nature in the Caucasus” based on the results of which proceedings were also published. A specificity of these events was the active participation of scientists from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, as well as scientists from France, Israel, USA and Algeria. In 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 GPI VSC RAS was co-organizer of the All-Russian Scientific and Technical Conference “Modern problems of geology, geophysics and geoecology of the North Caucasus”, which is regularly held in Essentuki with the publication of multi-authored monographs. In 2017, the GPI VSC RAS organized an International Scientific and Practical Conference “Geology and Geophysics of the Caucasus: Modern Challenges and Research Methods” in Vladikavkaz with the publication of a multi-authored monograph. Based on the materials of youth seminars held at the GPI VSC RAS, lecture collections entitled “Certain Issues of Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering”, Part 1 (2010) and Part 2 (2014) were published. The next cycle of lecture collections is expected to be published in 2020.

In recent years, the following monographs have been published by the GPI VSC RAS Publishing House: Alborov I.D., Zaalishvili V.B. et al. “Ecological risk, principles for the environment and public health assessment” (2013), Leonov Yu.G., Zaalishvili V.B. (Ed.) “Kolka Glacier: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” (2014), Zaalishvili V.B. Melkov D.A. “Optimization of the development parameters of technologies according to the criteria of ore tension and quality” (2014), Zaalishvili V.B., Burdzieva O.G. “Transformation of the natural environment of the region under the mining influence” (2014), Zaalishvili V.B., Dzeranov B.V. “Detailed seismic zoning and the construction of probability seismic hazard maps” (2014), V.B. Zaalishvili, N.I. Nevskaya “Geoecological aspects of the evolution of natural and urban systems under high seismic hazard conditions” (2014), O.G. Burdzieva, V.I. Golik “Disintegrators in mining” (2015), Godustov I.S., Zaalishvili V.B. “Seismic risk mitigation in the design of ground floors based on the use of an effective seismic isolation scheme in the North Caucasus” (2016), Kharebov K.S. “Methods of statistical processing of geophysical data” (2017), Burdzieva O.G., Beriev O.G., Zaks T.V. “The influence of environmental factors on the ecological well-being and health of the population of the Vladikavkaz” (2019).

In 2003-2005 GPI VSC RAN participated in the NATO project “Science for Peace” Program Project “Seismic Risk of Large Cities of Caucasus: Tools for Risk Management (NATO SfP 974320)”.

In 2014-2017 The BSEC Project “Develop and Prepare an Experimental Sample of Data Logger Radon Measuring Device Set with Data Collection Central Controller” was completed.

Within the framework of the Long-term Economic Cooperation Program of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia for 2014-2020 GPI VSC RAS is the executor of two scientific international projects “Development of a model of a dynamic regional indicator of the engineering and seismological conditions of the territory based on the analysis of instrumental records of strong and destructive earthquakes” and “Development of a combined system of velocimeters/accelerometers for observing dangerous natural and anthropogenic geological processes”.

In 2009-2013 years, within the framework of the Federal Target Program “Scientific and Academic and Teaching Staff of Innovative Russia” the Geophysical Institute performed two projects on the topics “Development of new methods and tools for assessment of seismic hazard of soils under strong seismic loadings” and “Research and development of innovative technologies for combined mechanochemical activation of metal recovery from substandard raw materials”.

In 2009, GPI VSC RAS won the Competition of the Republican target program “Improving the sustainability of residential buildings, basic facilities and life support systems in the seismic regions of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania for 2009-2013”.

In 2010-2012 the works on maintenance, expansion and processing of seismic observation data of hazardous geological processes on the territory of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania “Karmadon Parametric Polygon” were carried out.

In 2017 GPI VSC RAS won the Regional Competition of RFBR, Basic Research Projects “Theoretical and experimental investigation of the processes of preparation and initialization of earthquakes of high energy class (M> 6) based on complex geodynamic monitoring data”.

In 2017, GPI VSC RAS together with the Institute of Geophysics named after Yu.P. Bulashevich of the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences organized in North Ossetia-Alania radon monitoring stations in Vladikavkaz and the settlement of Karmadon (Kazbek volcanic center).

Since 2019, GPI VSC RAS has been a member of the international scientific project “Natural hazards and monitoring for mountain territories in Russia and India” under the grants of the Russian Science Foundation “Basic research and applied research conducted by international research teams Russian (in cooperation with DST, India)” (2019-2021).

In 2010-2014 at the contests of the XIII-XVI Moscow International Salon of Inventions and Innovative Technologies "ARCHIMEDES" the inventions of GPI VSC RAS were awarded by the decision of the international jury 10 gold, two silver and one bronze medals, two cups “For the development of inventions in the region”, the Bahrain Cup. In 2014, Zaalishvili V.B. was awarded the Order of “Golden Archimedes” and the gold medal of N. Tesla “For a great contribution to the international development of science and technology”.

The modern material and technical base has been created at the GPI VSC RAS, which includes unique high-precision and high-tech equipment (Scintrex CG-5 Autograv gravimeter, robotic tacheometer with scanning function, Lennartz-ElectronicLE-3D/20S geophones, laboratory disintegrator, etc.), which allows researching on the world level.

In 2003, the “Karmadon Parametric Polygon” observation network was created, into which the Kolka station (near the Kolka glacier (2970 m above sea level)) was included in 2012, which made it possible to obtain unique records of mudflow on May 17, 2014. In 2004, for the first time in the Northern Caucasus in the urbanized territory (Vladikavkaz), a permanent network of engineering-seismological observations was created in areas with different soil conditions. In 2006, the GPS/GLONASS prognosis system for observations was first created in the area of the powerful Vladikavkaz fault (M=6.5–7.1). Observation results show that within the fault, movement along its wings is currently absent, and the system moves in a single block in a northwest direction. In 2008 GPI VSC RAS together with the State Astronomical Institute after P.I. Stenberg of Moscow State University and Central Scientific Research Institute of Geodesy, Air Surveying and Cartography, organized in the North Ossetia-Alania a point of high-precision gravimetric measurements and the first measurements were made with an absolute gravimeter. It was found that the use of relative gravimetric measurements allows one determining confidently the variations in gravity accelerations. In 2020, repeated measurements are planned with an absolute gravimeter.

In 2010, 2016 and 2018 young scientists of GPI VSC RAS received the Prize of the Head of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in the field of science and technology for students of secondary schools, young scientists and specialists. In 2006 and 2007 A.K. Kharebov and Zh.D. Tuaeva became winners in the nomination “The best graduate student of the RAS” and “Candidates and Doctors of Sciences of the RAS”. Melkov D.A. won the Grant Contest of the President of the Russian Federation for state support of young Russian scientists - Candidates of Sciences for 2014. Postgraduate M. Chitishvili won the RFBR Competition for the best fundamental research projects carried out by young scientists studying in graduate school in 2019-2021.

In 2008-2019 GPI VSC RAS obtained 55 Patents of the Russian Federation, 17 Certificates of state registration of computer programs and 14 Certificates of state registration of databases. Since 2003 GPI VSC RAS performed 47 commercial contracts.

The staff of GPI VSC RAS published 50 works in the Web of Science database, 69 works in the Scopus database and 1305 works in the RSCI.