Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Alexander Karabanov passed away at the age of 67 on 3 August. He was a well-known scientist in regional geology, geodynamics, geomorphology and palaeogeography, doctor of geological and mineralogical sciences, professor, and director of the Institute of Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
Farewell to Academician A. Karabanov will be held on 6 August (Tuesday) at 11:00 in the Large Conference Hall of the NAS of Belarus (66 Independence Ave.). The civil service will begin at 12:00.
Alexander Karabanov graduated from the geographical faculty of the Belarusian State University in 1974. He worked at the Institute of Geochemistry and Geophysics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus: since 1985 as a senior researcher, since 1992 as a head of the laboratory. Since 2008, Alexander Karabanov worked at the Institute of Nature Management of the NAS of Belarus as a head of the laboratory of geodynamics and palaeogeography, and since 2009 as a director of the Institute. He got his PhD in 1983, and DSc in geology and mineralogy in 2002. In 2004, Alexander K. Karabanov was elected a corresponding member, and in 2014, an academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. In 2011, he was awarded the academic title of Professor.
Academician A. Karabanov developed a concept and created a theoretical model of the latest and modern geodynamics of the territory of Belarus and adjacent regions of the East European platform. He proposed a method for neotectonic mapping having huge importance for geological survey and exploration, justifying the selection of optimal sites for the construction of critical engineering structures, as well as for assessing the latest and modern tectonic activity of discontinuous disturbances in connection with the tasks provided safe operation and mining planning. Under the guidance of A. K. Karabanov, a series of engineering and geological works was carried out to select the site for the Belarusian nuclear power plant and assess its environmental impact, the forecast and the basis for the formation of the strategy for the development of mineral resources of Belarus were developed. The results of these studies were used by the Department of Geology of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, the Geophysical expedition Belgeologiya, and the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Cosmoaerogeology".
Over the past five years alone, Alexander Karabanov developed a tectonic-neogeodynamic model and revealed patterns of the deep structure and geodynamics of the earth's crust and lithosphere of Belarus and adjacent regions, and compiled a tectonic map of Belarus at a scale of 1:500000, which clarified the boundaries of regional tectonic structures. He typified and determined the position of platform and additional platform faults, performed neotectonic zoning of the territory. Based on the results of these studies, two monographs have been published.
Academician A.K. Karabanov is the author of over 300 scientific works, including 13 monographs. The results of his research were recognized by the scientific community both in Belarus and abroad. Alexander K. Karabanov was the organizer and scientific supervisor of the State program for socio-economic development and comprehensive utilization of natural resources Pripyat Polesie (2010-2015), the state program "Monitoring of polar areas of the Earth and maintenance of Arctic and Antarctic expeditions" (2011-2015), the state research programs "Chemical technologies and materials, natural resource potential" (2011-2015), "Nature management and ecology" (2016-2020). Academician Alexander Karabanov was the editor-in-chief of the collection of scientific papers "Environmental Management", a member of the editorial boards of five foreign scientific journals. He paid much attention to pedagogical activity, being the head of the branch of the department of dynamic geology at the geographical faculty of the Belarusian State University.