UFO files: CIA report on Kardashev-Sakharov paper, 1972

[PAGE 1] Approved for Release 2026. DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE. Intelligence Information Report. COUNTRY: USSR. REPORT NO. 00-B-321/07707-72. DATE DISTR.: 10 Apr 72. SUBJECT: Speculative Paper by N. Kardashev and A. Sakharov on Charged Mass in Space at Conference on Origins of Life, Armenia, 6-8 September 1971/Also Scientific Level of Other Soviet DCS [Directorate of Central Sciences?] Papers, Case ST-1026. NO. PAGES: 2. DATE OF INFO.: 6-8 September 1971. PLACE & DATE ACQ. BY SOURCE: Yerevan/6-8 September 1971. THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION. SOURCE: US citizen. This report consists of edited abstracts from a letter received from a reliable colleague who attended the Yerevan Conference. 1-2. At the Conference on the Origins of Life in Yerevan, Armenia, SSR, 6-8 September 1971, N.S. Kardashev, Institute for Space Research, Moscow, read an interesting but highly speculative paper he had prepared on general relativity and the possibility of a body collapsing into a black hole in space. His co-author was the internationally famous theoretical physicist, Andrei D. Sakharov. Kardashev is very much like his superior and former teacher at the Institute, I.S. Shklovskiy, in his approach to scientific problems; he is not afraid to speculate in his effort to find a solution. The Kardashev-Sakharov paper concerned the authors' study of what happens when a charged mass or body collapses in space. Kardashev stated that if it were not charged, the mass would just collapse past the point of gravitational singularity and be gone forever -- the mass would close in on itself and have no more contact with the outside world. The Soviets speculated on what would happen if the mass were charged: they stated that then the mass would be able to bounce -- it would collapse but bounce back out. However, the mass will come back into a different part of space-time. 3. After his presentation, Kardashev told a US attendee that Sakharov was mostly interested in this charged-mass phenomenon study because it indicates that the structure of space may be much more complicated than is presently thought. Kardashev was interested in the study from the viewpoint of what implications it has for astrophysics, provided the basic physics of the phenomenon is correct. The US attendee felt the authors' speculation was 'a little fantastic' and that they had 'taken off in a rather wild way'; however, he believed their paper was grounded in good and sound physics. [Distribution/routing numbers: 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2] [PAGE 2] CONFIDENTIAL [stamp, crossed out] -2- 4. The US attendee considers Kardashev to be very competent technically and further to be very self-possessed. He recalled an incident in the spring of 1971 when Kardashev, L I Matveyenko and he visited Academician Lev Artsimovich, secretary of the Academy's Department of General Physics and Astronomy. Matveyenko, Institute for Cosmic Research, is a Communist Party member and very expert in political matters. He was almost cringing in Artsimovich's presence whereas Kardashev was cool and confident in his business-like discussions with the senior Academi- cian. 5. In general, the scientific level of most of the Soviet papers at this Conference was not very high. One little known Soviet [source could not recall his name] gave a very naive paper on the detectability of planets. Another Soviet, who was a member of a committee the USSR has established to investigate unusual phenomena, in other words, flying saucers, gave a serious talk which was actually very humorous. His approach was, "Well, of course, we know there isn't anything to this alleged phenome- non (flying saucers), but on the other hand---." During this talk Shklovskiy and other Soviets joked and laughed and obviously did not take the speaker's remarks seriously. Shklovskiy remarked later to a US attendee that the "flying saucer committee" consists of many poli- ticians, theorists, historians and similar type people. It has little if any scientific talent. 6. Shklovskiy gave a general, entertaining talk on some interesting but unimportant subject. Vitaliy L Ginzburg, one of the leading astronomers in the USSR, also gave a talk on the basis of physical theory, that is, the identification and comparison of fundamental assumptions in physics. Ginzburg has a first rate mind and is sounder in his physics knowledge than Shklovskiy. Ginzburg thinks realistically, which was shown in his answer to a US attendee's question about the Conference. The Soviet was asked whether the Conference was worthwhile in that it was mostly devoted to theoretical subjects, very remote from tangible goals. Ginzburg said, "Well, if it helps to build up support for the Soviet researchers to get new astronomical equipment, then certainly the Con- ference makes sense." - end -