HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENT ARAКS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE INSTRUMENTATION AND RESEARCH OF NEAR-EARTH SPACE
Heading:
| Lankin, YM, Kornienko, ОМ, Lytvynko, АS, Doronina, HА |
| Space Sci. & Technol. 2026, 32 ;(3):64-80 |
| https://doi.org/10.15407/knit2026.03.064 |
| Publication Language: Українська |
Abstract: Th e article highlights the history of the preparation and implementation of the large-scale, complex experiment ARAKS, conducted
in 1974—1975 and aimed at reproducing and studying geophysical phenomena, particularly the aurora borealis. Th e signifi cance of international scientifi c cooperation between France and the USSR for research into near-Earth space during the «Cold War» is considered. Th e project’s technical concept, which sought to create an artifi cial aurora borealis by injecting electron beams into the ionosphere from the Kerguelen Archipelago (Southern Hemisphere) toward a magnetically conjugate point near the village of Sogra (Northern Hemisphere), is described in detail. Special attention is given to the contributions of Ukrainian scientists, particularly those from the E. O. Paton Electric Welding Institute and the Institute of Electrodynamics, both part of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, who developed and operated unique onboard electron accelerators and other scientifi c equipment. Th e equipment’s characteristics, the chronology of expeditionary work, and a description of the course of rocket launches are provided. Th e article analyzes the scientifi c results of the experiment, which confi rmed the possibility of controlled infl uence on the ionosphere, detailed the structure of the Earth’s magnetic fi eld, and laid the foundation for further development in space instrument making, the study of space weather, and the physics of magnetospheric-ionospheric connections. |
| Keywords: artifi cial aurora borealis, climatology, E. O. Paton Institute of Electric Welding, geophysics, history of science and technology, Institute of Electrodynamics, international scientifi c cooperation, meteorology, rocket and space science and engineering, space instrument making |
References:
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Nature, 271, 723-726.
https://doi.org/10.1038/271723a0
3. Gendrin R. (1974). Th e French-Soviet «ARAKS» experiment. Space Sci. Rev., 15, 905-931.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00241068
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6. Lankin Yu. (1982). Investigation of the electron beam welding process as an object of automatic control and development of
automatic regulation systems: dis. … Dr. Sci. (Tech.): specialty 05.13.07. Kyiv, 422 p. [in Russian].
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electron beam. Avtomaticheskaya Svarka - Automatic Welding, № 1, 57-60 [in Ukrainian].
http://patonpublishinghouse.com/as/pdf/2025/as202501part.pdf
8. Paton B., Dudko D., Bernadsky V., Asoyantz G., Lankin Yu., et al. (1978). A powerful electron accelerator for active space experiments.
Space Science instrumentation, 4, 131-137.
9. Paton B., Dudko D., Bernadsky V., Asoyats G., Lankin Yu., et al. (2003a). Power Electron Accelerator for Active Space Experiments.
Space: Technologies, Materials, Structures. Ed. by B. Paton. London, N.-Y.: Taylos & Fancics, 434-438.
www.routledge.com/Space-Technologies-Materials-and-Structures/Paton/p/bo...
10. Paton B., Dudko D., Lebedev V., Lankin Yu., et al. (2003b). Active Experiments in the Near-Earth Space. Space: Technologies,
Materials, Structures. Ed. by B. Paton. London, N.-Y.: Taylos & Fancics, 417-425.
www.routledge.com/Space-Technologies-Materials-and-Structures/Paton/p/bo...
11. Paton B., Dudko D., Lebedev V., et al. (2000). Active experiments in near-Earth space. Cosmos: Technologies, Materials Science,
Constructions: Collected Scientifi c Papers. Ed. by B. Paton. Kyiv, 400-406 [in Russian].
12. Paton B., Dudko D., Lebedev V., Lankin Yu., Nazarenko O., Shelyagin V., Stesin V., Pekker V., Yurchenko N., Pazeev G. (1999).
Active experiments in near-Earth space. Avtomaticheskaya Svarka - Automatic Welding, № 10, 74-85 [in Russian].
13. Paton B., Nazarenko O., Chalov V., et al. (1971). Features of equipment and processes of electron beam welding and cutting
under space conditions. Avtomaticheskaya Svarka - Automatic Welding, № 3, 3-8 [in Russian].
14. Report on the business trip to France under the Interkosmos Council line by employees of the E. O. Paton Electric Welding
Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR Yu. Lankin, V. Shelyagin, V. Mokhnach and employee of IZMIRAN
of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR Yu. V. Kushnirevsky. (1974). 43 p. Personal archive of Yu. Lankin [in Russian].
15. Scientifi c and Technical Report. Topic: Joint Soviet-French Experiment (Kerguelen Island Expedition). (1975). Kyiv, 27 p.
Personal archive of Yu. Lankin [in Russian].
271-284.
2. Cambou F., Lavergnat J., Migulin V., Morozov A., Paton В., et al. (1978). ARAKS - Controlled or puzzling experiment?
Nature, 271, 723-726.
https://doi.org/10.1038/271723a0
3. Gendrin R. (1974). Th e French-Soviet «ARAKS» experiment. Space Sci. Rev., 15, 905-931.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00241068
4. Horbulin V. P. (Ed.). (2021). History of Rocket and Space Science and Technology of Ukraine. Kyiv: Feniks. 456 p.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8106033 [in Ukrainian].
5. Kambou F., Lavergne J., Migulin V., et al. (2000). ARAKS - controlled or mysterious experiment? Cosmos: Technologies,
Materials Science, Constructions: Collected Scientifi c Papers. Ed. by B. Paton. Kyiv, 391-400 [in Russian].
6. Lankin Yu. (1982). Investigation of the electron beam welding process as an object of automatic control and development of
automatic regulation systems: dis. … Dr. Sci. (Tech.): specialty 05.13.07. Kyiv, 422 p. [in Russian].
7. Lankin Yu. M. (2025). 50 years of the ARAKS experiment: Probing the Earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere with a powerful
electron beam. Avtomaticheskaya Svarka - Automatic Welding, № 1, 57-60 [in Ukrainian].
http://patonpublishinghouse.com/as/pdf/2025/as202501part.pdf
8. Paton B., Dudko D., Bernadsky V., Asoyantz G., Lankin Yu., et al. (1978). A powerful electron accelerator for active space experiments.
Space Science instrumentation, 4, 131-137.
9. Paton B., Dudko D., Bernadsky V., Asoyats G., Lankin Yu., et al. (2003a). Power Electron Accelerator for Active Space Experiments.
Space: Technologies, Materials, Structures. Ed. by B. Paton. London, N.-Y.: Taylos & Fancics, 434-438.
www.routledge.com/Space-Technologies-Materials-and-Structures/Paton/p/bo...
10. Paton B., Dudko D., Lebedev V., Lankin Yu., et al. (2003b). Active Experiments in the Near-Earth Space. Space: Technologies,
Materials, Structures. Ed. by B. Paton. London, N.-Y.: Taylos & Fancics, 417-425.
www.routledge.com/Space-Technologies-Materials-and-Structures/Paton/p/bo...
11. Paton B., Dudko D., Lebedev V., et al. (2000). Active experiments in near-Earth space. Cosmos: Technologies, Materials Science,
Constructions: Collected Scientifi c Papers. Ed. by B. Paton. Kyiv, 400-406 [in Russian].
12. Paton B., Dudko D., Lebedev V., Lankin Yu., Nazarenko O., Shelyagin V., Stesin V., Pekker V., Yurchenko N., Pazeev G. (1999).
Active experiments in near-Earth space. Avtomaticheskaya Svarka - Automatic Welding, № 10, 74-85 [in Russian].
13. Paton B., Nazarenko O., Chalov V., et al. (1971). Features of equipment and processes of electron beam welding and cutting
under space conditions. Avtomaticheskaya Svarka - Automatic Welding, № 3, 3-8 [in Russian].
14. Report on the business trip to France under the Interkosmos Council line by employees of the E. O. Paton Electric Welding
Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR Yu. Lankin, V. Shelyagin, V. Mokhnach and employee of IZMIRAN
of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR Yu. V. Kushnirevsky. (1974). 43 p. Personal archive of Yu. Lankin [in Russian].
15. Scientifi c and Technical Report. Topic: Joint Soviet-French Experiment (Kerguelen Island Expedition). (1975). Kyiv, 27 p.
Personal archive of Yu. Lankin [in Russian].