Cheng Kaijia is a native of Wujiang, Jiangsu Province. He was born in 1918 and is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chen graduated from the Physics Department of Zhejiang University in 1941 and received a doctor's degree from Edinburgh University in 1948.
Considered a pioneer in the nuclear industry and nuclear weapons field, Cheng is credited with participating in the development of the first nuclear bomb in China. His research on temperature and pressure in core parts of the atomic bomb explosion were deemed critical to the process. Cheng later solved an explosion mechanism problem on the atomic bomb and helped with its configuration. Among his other accomplishments, Cheng established a nuclear experiment research institute and directed dozens of nuclear experiments for atomic bombs, nuclear missiles, and began nuclear explosion experimental research and anti-nuclear reinforcement technology studies.
He initiated the cause of the test of China Nuclear Weapons. He researched, designed and directed a few dozens of nuclear weapon tests, including “the Six First” -- atomic bomb, hydrogen bomb, nuclear missile, underground explosion in vertical well and in horizontal hole, and boosted bombs. He started research in the fields: systematic theory of nuclear explosion and diagnosis in the effects of nuclear explosion independently. He initiated and fostered the new research program of nuclear hardening in China: strengthening to resistance to radiation and the directed high power microwave.
His career is as lengthy as his nuclear research. After working as a researcher for the British Royal Chemistry Industry Research Institute, Cheng returned to China in 1950 to teach in the physics departments of Zhejiang University and Nanjing University from 1950 to l960 and did research and tutorial work on solid state physics. He then left to assume several leadership posts with the Nuclear Industrial Corporation.
He published his woks “Study on Mechanism of Superconductivity.” He wrote the first “Solid State Physics” in China in 1959. He was selected as the member of Chinese Academy of Science in 1980. He is now the adviser of original S&T Committee of Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Email to Friends
Print
Save