The first dozen years of the history of ITEP Theoretical Physics Laboratory

TL;DR

This paper reviews the first twelve years of ITEP's theoretical physics research from 1945 to 1958, highlighting key results across nuclear physics, quantum theories, and fundamental interactions, with translations of lesser-known Russian papers.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive historical overview of ITEP's pioneering theoretical physics work during its early years, including translations of significant but lesser-known Russian publications.

Findings

Key developments in nuclear reactor theory and hydrogen bomb research.

Advances in radiation theory and low temperature physics.

Progress in quantum electrodynamics and weak interaction theories.

Abstract

The theoretical investigations at ITEP in the years 1945-1958 are reviewed. There are exposed the most important theoretical results, obtained in the following branches of physics: 1) the theory of nuclear reactors on thermal neutrons; 2) the hydrogen bomb project ("Tube" in USSR and "Classical Super" in USA); 3) radiation theory; ~4) low temperature physics; 5) quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theories; 6) parity violation in weak interactions, the theory of $\beta$-decay and other weak processes; 7) strong interaction and nuclear physics. To the review are added the English translations of few papers, originally published in Russian, but unknown (or almost unknown) to Western readers.