Alexander Nikolayevich Terenin (06.05.1896—18.01.1967) — a Soviet physical chemist, academician (1939; corresponding member 1932). He was born in Kaluga. He graduated from Petrograd University (1922), where he began to work (professor from 1932 — ). At the same time he worked at the State Optical Institute (in 1945 — 56 scientific director).
His research concerned atomic and molecular spectroscopy, photochemistry and photosynthesis. Together with L. N. Dobretsov he discovered the hyperfine structure of spectral lines in atomic spectra (1928). He carried out a series of studies on the photochemistry of salt vapours, studied complex molecules (H2O, CH3O, C2H5OH, NH3 and others) and complex organic compounds in the gaseous state, and investigated the infrared spectra of substances at high pressures. He put forward (1943) the hypothesis of the triplet nature of the metastable states responsible for the phosphorescence of organic substances. With V. L. Ermolaev he discovered (1951) the phenomenon of energy transfer between molecules in the triplet state. He carried out a series of studies on the problem of the elementary photoprocess in the most varied systems.
Hero of Socialist Labour (1966). USSR State Prize (1946). The S. I. Vavilov Gold Medal (1953). He founded a scientific school.
His research concerned atomic and molecular spectroscopy, photochemistry and photosynthesis. Together with L. N. Dobretsov he discovered the hyperfine structure of spectral lines in atomic spectra (1928). He carried out a series of studies on the photochemistry of salt vapours, studied complex molecules (H2O, CH3O, C2H5OH, NH3 and others) and complex organic compounds in the gaseous state, and investigated the infrared spectra of substances at high pressures. He put forward (1943) the hypothesis of the triplet nature of the metastable states responsible for the phosphorescence of organic substances. With V. L. Ermolaev he discovered (1951) the phenomenon of energy transfer between molecules in the triplet state. He carried out a series of studies on the problem of the elementary photoprocess in the most varied systems.
Hero of Socialist Labour (1966). USSR State Prize (1946). The S. I. Vavilov Gold Medal (1953). He founded a scientific school.