The Soviet scientist who developed the mathematical model of the "nuclear winter" went missing in Madrid in 1985.
In the 1980s, the world was shocked by the concept of "nuclear winter", according to which in the event of an armed conflict between the USSR and the United States with the use of nuclear weapons, the planet will experience a sharp drop in temperature to the Arctic consequences, which will be fatal for all living things.
Today, the theory of "nuclear winter" is actively criticized, but at one time it played an important role in changing the views of politicians and public figures, which ultimately led to the conclusion of historic disarmament treaties.
One of the scientists who played a crucial role in the creation of the mathematical model of the "nuclear winter" did not wait for historic agreements between the United States and the Soviet Union. Soviet physicist Vladimir Alexandrov disappeared without a trace in 1985. Almost thirty-five years have passed, but nothing is known about his fate until now …
Mathematical model
In the early 1970s, Nikita Moiseev, the founder of the Faculty of Management and Applied Mathematics of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, came up with the idea of creating a computer system that simulates the interaction of the ocean, atmosphere and biota (a historically formed set of species of living organisms united by a common habitat).
Not without difficulty, but Moiseev managed to get this work started at the Computing Center of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Two new laboratories appeared, one of which, dealing with the dynamics of the "ocean - atmosphere" system, was headed by the talented physicist and mathematician Vladimir Alexandrov.
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As Academician Moiseev recalled, Aleksandrov independently carried out the most difficult stage of developing the software. Then it turned out that the power of the computer available in the center was not enough. The Americans offered their help, and the Soviet scientist worked on the model in the USA for eight months.
Calculation of the apocalypse
In the early 1980s, American astrophysicist Carl Sagan published a series of articles in which he outlined the concept of "nuclear winter." Sagan's conclusions were considered by many colleagues to be too apocalyptic and speculative.
Then Academician Moiseev suggested to Aleksandrov to use the model he created to test Sagan's hypothesis.
In the early summer of 1983, Vladimir Aleksandrov, together with the laboratory staff, carried out all the necessary calculations and made illustrative graphics.
Temperatures will drop below zero and the climate will undergo such changes that it will no longer be able to return to its original state. Living species will begin to die rapidly.
Triumph in Washington
In October 1983, Aleksandrov presented the results of his work at a special conference in Washington. It was not only scientists who were shocked. The world press wrote about the "nuclear winter" as a terrible future for humanity. The anti-war movement intensified, into whose ranks hundreds of thousands of new members joined in different countries.
In March 1985, he traveled to Spain to attend a conference of mayors of nuclear-free cities. Three weeks later, Aleksandrov was to defend his doctoral dissertation.
Having performed successfully, as always, the scientist began to prepare for his flight home. On the evening of April 1, a 47-year-old man left the hotel for a walk through the streets of Madrid. No one saw him again.
The search yielded nothing
In those years, there were frequent cases when Soviet citizens, once abroad, became "defectors", preferring to stay in the West.
But usually such escapes were widely covered in the foreign press, and here there was complete silence. In addition, there were no special reasons for Aleksandrov to flee - he was one of those residents of the USSR who were allowed to work for months in other countries, including the United States.
The escape of the scientist could have been organized by the CIA, but this assumption looked doubtful.
And if Vladimir Valentinovich did not know state secrets, what is the point of organizing his escape?
Anyway, it is possible to conceal such an escape for some time, but sooner or later the intelligence of the opposite side will find out the truth through its channels. In this case, no information has appeared even after several decades.
Spain did not need an international scandal, so Madrid met halfway and allowed Soviet operatives to conduct a check. But no traces of Alexandrov were found.
The official message about the disappearance of the Soviet scientist was published by the USSR Academy of Sciences in December 1985. But it also did not allow to somehow clarify the situation.
Who's guilty?
In the scientific world, on both sides of the ocean, they sinned against the secret services, and at once both the KGB and the CIA.
However, no evidence, at least indirect, of the involvement of the “knights of the cloak and dagger” in the disappearance of the scientist was found.
Is Vladimir Alexandrov a victim of ordinary street criminals? But how did they manage to get rid of the body so deftly that no one was able to get on the trail?
A year after the disappearance, the Spanish authorities announced that the Soviet scientist had not left the country.
The relatives of Vladimir Alexandrov still publish ads on the Internet in the hope that either he himself, alive and well, or those who know the truth about what happened in 1985, will respond. But no answer was received …