June 16, 2026. After a prolonged illness, our colleague D.Sc., Professor Alexey Alexeevich Lushnikov (30.05.1939 – 16.06.2026), Principal Research Scientist at the Laboratory of Mathematical Geophysics, has passed away. For over a decade, this outstanding scientist conducted research at the Geophysical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In 1962, Alexey Lushnikov graduated from the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute with a degree in theoretical nuclear physics. In 1966, he defended his candidate dissertation on "The Theory of the Simplest Photonuclear Reactions", and in 1979, his doctoral dissertation on " Evolution of Coagulation Systems".

From 1962 to 1971, the young scientist worked as a junior researcher at the I. V. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy in the Department of Nuclear Physics. Moving to the L. Y. Karpov Research Institute of Physical Chemistry, from 1971 to 2012 Alexey Lushnikov progressed from junior research scientist in the Laboratory of Physics of Aerodisperse Systems to head of the laboratory. In 2012, he became a principal research scientist at the GC RAS.

Alexey Lushnikov was engaged in teaching. In 1983, he became a professor specializing in physical chemistry. Three of his students defended doctoral dissertations.

He also contributed to publishing, serving as deputy editor-in-chief of the Russian Journal of Earth Sciences and as a member of the editorial boards of several journals.

Alexey Lushnikov's research spanned numerous scientific fields: nuclear physics, statistical physics, quantum optics, reaction and growth kinetics, nucleation and coagulation, and evolutionary processes. His name is associated with discoveries in theoretical aerosol science. Professor Lushnikov formulated a new approach to the description of coagulation: the Marcus–Lushnikov scheme. He was among the first to use the term "cosmosol" (by analogy with aerosol). His work on the mathematical description and modeling of particle nucleation, growth, coagulation, and gelation received international recognition.

Alexey Lushnikov co-authored 6 monographs and authored more than 150 scientific papers.

Since 1988, Professor Lushnikov participated in and organized regular participant and organizer of European and international aerosol conferences, international conferences on nucleation and atmospheric aerosols, as well as workshops seminars on coagulation and fragmentation.

His work has been honored with prestigious scientific awards: the Fuchs Memorial Award (Taipei, 2002) and the Christian E. Junge Award (Salzburg, 2007).

The staff of the Geophysical Center RAS expresses its deep condolences to the family and loved ones of Alexey Lushnikov. An outstanding scientist, he has left an indelible mark on science and in our hearts.