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() ) (June
15, 1952 - November 27, 1999) - an outstanding Russian
physicist, Doctor of Science, professor. One of the most
brilliant and productive Russian experimental physicists
in 80s and 90s of the twentieth century. He made a
pioneer contribution to the development of a new
direction in experimental physics - the generation of
intense Compton Backscattering gamma-quanta beams
of high energy. He was first with his group to observe a
photon splitting.
Biography
Years at BINP
Significant contribution of BINP into establishment of the method of generation of CBS gamma-quanta beams of high
energy, including priority in obtaining tagged beams, is obvious. Such BINP standing is largely due to the pioneering work
of G.Ya. Kezerashvili.
Unique features of ROKK-1M facility were at high demand. Work went in several directions. Photon beam of ROKK-1M
was indispensable for solving the problems of precision measurements of parameters of the colliders charged beams, as
well as to study the properties of the new detector systems. Absolute calibration of the energy scale was performed, energy
and spatial resolution was determined for the prototypes of the LKr calorimeter of KEDR detector at BINP and CsI
calorimeter of BELLE detector at B-factory at KEK, Japan. New technique of absolute energy calibration based solely on
the kinematics of inverse Compton scattering of two laser lines with known energy was proposed in collaboration with
N.Yu. Muchnoi. This proposal was very appealing in its simplicity and clarity.
Photonuclear experiments have been continued in collaboration with groups of physicists from the University of Rome, the
Frascati Laboratory, The George Washington University, and the Brazilian Center for Nuclear Research.
Finally, exceptional features of ROKK-1M were used in the ground breaking experiments to verify the nonlinear QED
effects. One of them, photon splitting, is a process of nonlinear QED of high order, in which two photons in initial state, one
real and one virtual corresponding to the Coulomb field of the nucleus, are interacting with an electromagnetic loop and
producing two real photons in final state. The fundamental nature of this extremely rare process attracted much attention of
theoretical physicists. There have been many theoretical works. Theorists at BINP especially excelled in the understanding
of this phenomenon. G.Ya Kezerashvili with team of young researchers eager to make new physics decided to carry
seemingly hopeless experiment. It was expected to see only one event of interest for every 10 million registered. The first
attempt was made in 1994. The necessary statistics was collected in two runs in 1995 and 1996. The effect has been reliably
observed. Preliminary results were presented by G.Ya Kezerashvili at several international conferences since 1996. The final
result was published in 2002. First observation of photon splitting was awarded an article in the Physical Review Focus
(Phys. Rev. Focus 10, 3 (2002)) spotlighting exceptional research in physics. Also, in the same experiment the first precise
observation of another nonlinear QED effect - Delbrck scattering (bending of photon trajectory in strong Coulomb field),
was made.
The quantity and quality of the results obtained in the late 80s and 90s, especially from 1993 to 1999, causes sense of
astonishment. It is enhanced by understanding that this time was one of the most difficult for science in the modern history
of Russia. To paraphrase an expression of N.Yu. Muchnoi G.Ya Kezerashvili talented pupil - you had to be open, honest
and brave man and have G.Ya Kezerashvili passion for science to do so much! It is interesting to quote a very distinctive
expression of academician of RAN LM Barkov about G.Ya. Kezerashvili style of work, which he watched over the years:
"... throughout all the time, when I saw his work, I was struck by very high economy of expenses of all kinds, when he
produced any kind of work. Facilities that were made - they were created by him almost for nothing from all kind of remains
of equipment left over from other works" and then "...it seems to me that besides such an economy of work performed, it is
still very surprising that usually Guram the experimenter, worked in very small team of the work participants. This is also
very important to be able to work that way. Very much has been done, if you look, and basically the whole burden of the
experimental work was on him."
Much water has flowed under the bridge, but the youthful passion for experimentation did not pass in vain. It only got
stronger and brought forth much fruit. Publications, with name of G.Ya Kezerashvili in the authors list continued to appear
within three years after he died.