Space-based remote sensing of the Earth has become an important source of information for most civilized countries of the world. More and more users need Earth remote sensing data that help to solve many civil, military and scientific tasks. The tasks of ecological control have recently got tremendous importance among the tasks of space-based remote sensing of the Earth. It can be explained by society's concern about the rapid degradation of environment under the impact of antropogenic factors. Ecological changes are taking place not only on the local and regional, but also on the global level. The process demands serious study that cannot be carried out without the use of space technology. As we know, the scientific efforts of the countries of the West are concentrated on creating the Earth Observing System (EOS) , that is an integral part of the even greater international program MPE — Mission to the Planet Earth. The main object of the program EOS is to study different worldwide ecological changes, such as, for instance, the global warming of the climate. The problem of effective usage of space technology in the interests of ecology is also pressing and urgent for Russia. That is conditioned by the utter neglect of ecology in many regions of our country, the imperfect technologies used in industry, and by the vastness of the country's territory. Therefore, the attention of Russian scientists is now mainly focused not on the global ecological problems — first they strive for solving the tasks of ecological control on the local and regional levels, such as operational study of the regions of natural and technogenic calamities and disasters, environmental monitoring of the ecologically tense areas, etc. The Russian scientific organizations and the Russian government bodies are increasingly aware of the fact that to solve these problems it is necessary to use the space systems, which have such decisive advantages as operational receipt of information, possibility of observing the dynamic transboundary processes with high periodicity, conducting research independently of local authorities.

In spite of the rapid development of space radars for remote sensing of the Earth, the multispectral observation of the Earth in visible band (including IR region) is now the main method to get the necessary data. The optoelectronic scanners are the main type of sensors, which are usually placed in sun-sinchronous orbits at 600 to 900 km altitude. According to modern concepts, a remote sensing space system must provide receiving data for many applications simultaneously. The same satellite data serve as informational base for various thematic directions, and, since space-based sensing requires significant expenditures, the functional effectiveness of the remote sensing instruments is largely determined by its multipurpose character.

A short presentation of the basic principles of the Ground/Space System for Global Heliogeophysical Monitoring (SGHM) development is presented. The SGHM is intended for operational monitoring and forecasting of solar activity, state of magnetosphere, ionosphere and upper atmosphere, as well as of some processes, happening on the surface and in the bowels of the Earth, that are mirrored by the near-Earth space. The SGHM will be operated in the interests of the national economy branches, ecology, science, forecast of natural disasters and international treaties verification in the field of arms limitation. The composition and specification of the SGHM main space components, some parameters of the supposed spacecraft and possible sets of the monitoring parameters and measuring instruments for all space echelons of the SGHM are provided. It is pointed out, that the creation of the SGHM should be realized step by step and with maximum involvement of the international cooperation.

Multiangular methods for optical thickness of atmosphere determination from space are surveyed. Numerical investigations showed that the use of single scattering or two-stream approximation formulae in this case leads to unreliable results. New methods of complex solution the inverse problem including phase function estimating are reported. The results of `Salyut-7' orbit station data processing illustrate the power of multiangular experiments.

The paper presents some evaluations of possibility to use the optical tomographics methods for investigation of natural and artificial irregularities in the near circumterrestrial space. The results obtained during research of artificial irregularities and polar airglow are described.

The informational technique intended for extraction of environmental objects upon multiple- spectral images and formation of characteristics describing in a summarized way the dynamics of their spatial structure is being discussed. It is assumed that the multiple-spectral images make up a single vector field. The procedure of the object extraction starts from segmentation of random vector fields. The observation vector of the same space point leads to a qualitatively better process of marking of picture points belonging to different objects than one scalar observation. An optimal algorithm is proposed based on vector observations and intended for segmentation of multiple-spectral images. For extraction and classification of objects, a model is discussed of generalized structural spatial noise-immune description of multiple-spectral images. Basic principles of a system for the storage and fast retrieval of experimental and processed data are proposed. The results of experimenting with the technology in the domain of investigating natural processes by their satellite multiple-spectral images are presented.

The effect of weak solar activity generated disturbances on the ecological system has been investigated. The study is based on simulation of the tundra community `vegetation/lemmings/polar foxes'. The model was verified using the data on the West Taimir ecosystem. The summer duration determined from meteorological indices was taken as the input parameter of the model. If the effect was small enough in amplitude, the model demonstrated 3-year-long intervals between the maxima modulated by the 11-year-cycle. At the second stage of our study we used the real series of summer duration (from setting in to melting of the snow cover) in the region under consideration. When the real summer duration was included in the model, the spectrum displayed an 11-year component that was nearly as pronounced as the observed one. Since the data on summer duration used in the model were taken directly from meteorological stations without processing, the appearance of the 11-year periodicity in the model dynamics may be regarded as additional evidence for dependence of the meteorological series on solar activity.

An international project on remote sounding of the Earth in ultraviolet, visible, infrared and microwave diapasons of the spectrum aboard the special module `PRIRODA' of the MIR orbital station will be carried out during 1994 - 1996. An important part of scientific program will be determination of spatial distribution of ozone, natural minor gas constituents, anthropogenic pollution in the atmosphere and the improvement of methods and technical means for meteorological sounding of the Earth. The Multichannel Infrared Spectroradiometer (MIRS), which is an integral part of the PRIRODA complex and the main pat of the sounding system ISTOK-1 will measure the thermal emission and absorption spectra of the atmosphere in the region of 4 - 16 micrometers . The spectroradiometer is a 64-channel instrument for limb and nadir atmospheric sounding, that is based on the line arrays of infrared detectors. The noise equivalent power of the MIRS-ISTOK-1 experimental model is about 10^-5 W/cm²(DOT)srmicrometers while the observation time per one spectrum is about 1 sec and the spectral resolution is of 0.15 - 0.3 micrometers . The accuracy of absorption measuring (by viewing the Sun) is of 0.1 percent. Various geometries of observation may be used owing to mounting of the instrument upon a two-axle oriented platform. The optical design of MIRS, its potential spectroscopic ability and the concrete realization of the instrument for the PRIRODA project are described.

While monitoring the environment it is quite important to take into account the impact of quasi-periodical variations of external factors and process. To understand the palings of geophysical processes we should take into consideration the variation of geoeffective solar radiation both during the main 11-year solar cycle and during smaller-period minor solar cycles. For investigating the quasi-biennial variations, the usual spectral analysis is less effective than suitable filtration. Statistical estimates of variances of the periods of quasi- biennial variations (QBV) in a long series of observations have shown that these QBV are caused not by the process of filtration as it can be while analyzing a sequence of random sampling numbers. And furthermore, the analysis the QBV of several solar and geophysical parameters during the solar cycle N 21 shows that the moments of main minima and maxima of oscillations of all parameters under study nearly coincide. Therefore, we may consider that QBV in ionosphere and geomagnetic fluctuations. Thus, the study of QBV serves as an effective means of revealing the solar activity effects in geophysical processes. Similar researches should be continued while analyzing the results of global monitoring of other environmental parameters.

For a more comprehensive understanding of atmosphere and oceanic circulations that generally affect climatic conditions in many regions and, in particular, influence their ecology problems, it is useful to investigate the flow pattern in rotating cylindrical vessels. In this research two interesting 3D gasdynamical phenomena were discovered by flow visualization in the meridional plane of a rotating cylindrical channel. The first phenomenon is nonstationary process after abrupt termination of a channel's rotation with the development, on its internal side surface, of periodically spaced local nonuniformities that have different growth rate in the axial and radial directions. The second phenomenon is establishment of an uncommon extensive intermittent flow pattern after the rotating channel, initially open on the one end, is closed with a stationary plate with a small gap between it and the end-wall of the rotating channel for ambient air inflow into the channel.

The automatic optical gas-and-dust analyzer for the determination of concentration of SO₂, CO₂, and other admixtures in the industrial exhaust has been presented. The efficiency of the device has been confirmed by the test in industrial conditions.

The results of spectroscopic measurements of the total vertical column abundance of minor atmospheric components (CO, CH₄, C₂H₆, NO₂, O₃) are presented. Measurements were carried out in Russia, in the Arctic and Antarctic regions and over the Atlantic Ocean.

The paper reviews the results of measurements of the total NO₂ contents in different regions of the globe: in the Antarctic region, in the Atlantic Ocean, at the Zvenigorod Scientific Station of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics. Total NO₂ obtained at the Antarctic station of Molodezhnaya in spring 1987 was very low until late November, about the time of the stratospheric warming when the filling of the ozone `hole' began. Measurements at the Antarctic station of Mirny in 1988 show the summer maximum and the later decrease in total NO₂ in accordance with the NO₂ annual variation. Total NO₂ measured in the Weddell Sea (West Antarctic) during September - October 1989 exhibits large variations connected with the evolution of the stratospheric circumpolar vortex. Measurements aboard a ship in the Atlantic Ocean in May 1988 show the increase with latitude in total NO₂ and total ozone, most pronounced in the region of the northern subtropic jet stream.

The trace measurements of SO₂ and NO₂ mean concentration in the surface layer of Moscow atmosphere are described. They revealed strong seasonal dependencies of SO₂ and NO₂ concentrations on various factors, which are discussed. The simultaneous measurements of the levels of nitrogen dioxide in Moscow atmosphere by the method which uses scattered sunlight and by the trace method conducted in February 1992 gave an opportunity to evaluate the height distribution of NO₂. The obtained values for the effective height of NO₂ distribution (200 - 400 m) are explained on the basis of the typical height of lower boundary of temperature inversion layer.

The article shows a possibility of using photochemical reactions combined with NMR technique (including chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization effects, and optical polarization for determining various admixtures in organic substances. A modified probe of NMR spectrometer used to study photochemical reactions is also described.

A mobile optical spectral equipment for monitoring concentrations of 4 gaseous impurities (SO₂, NO₂, Cl₂, H₂CO) in the air is described. The used technique is based on registration of absorption of optical radiation by the gases. The technical parameters, specification and modes of operation of the equipment are presented.

Traditionally a complex of operations is required for estimating an ecological situation, namely, sampling in a region, preparing samples for analys,is, analysing samples in a laboratory, processing the analysed data and presenting a conclusion on the presence of the substance of interest in the examined sample. As a result we have a considerable interval between the time of ingress of a specific substance into a monitored region and the statement of this fact with determination of the value of concentration. Meanwhile, during the considered interval of time the situation in the region may change and the previously taken sample will not correspond to a new sample, and so on. Such situation dictates the necessity of continuous monitoring of the ecological situation allowing at any moment of time to judge about the appearance of one or another substance which is a product of technological discharge. As a rule, methods of monitoring and determining concentration of substances in laboratory or field conditions are based on using the results of measuring transmission through an examined medium or scattering of radiation propagating in it. The methods of monitoring with the usage of mirror reflection for natural investigations are far from being well-developed, though their potential possibilities are great. In fact, while considering deposition of condensate of a substance mixture upon mirror-reflecting surfaces of transparent crystals (glasses) or of a solid phase of this condensate upon mirror surfaces of a metal, the known methods [1,21 can be used to determine, the optical constant n(A) and K(A), i.e. indices of refraction and absorption, on the basis of the coefficient of mirror reflection under normal radiation incidence with the wavelength ).

The ecological situation in industrial regions causes a growing anxiety among the population. Besides, it is necessary to understand that any attempt to change the ecological state by means of changing the technology of the production itself entails finally a disturbance of an established balance of the technological process condition and of the working-place ecology. Any change of this balance must be controlled and its consequences predictable. Therefore, investigation of a region's ecology, establishment of relationship between a region's ecology and production technology and investigation of sensitivity of disturbance of balance in case of even relativly small chances in technological process must precede any restructuring of production technology. This is connected with the difficulties of establishing a direct definitive link of a region's ecology with some particular type of production, if, of cource, it does not predominate in a considered region. As a rule, the situation in a region is determined by a complex of productions that may differently and in different time influence the ecological situation at a specific place. Therefore, conventional methods of single sampling conducted periodically in different time cannot create an objective situation pattern as technological discharges of production are different during twenty-four hours and months. In this respect, such methods of monitoring are of interest which allow to reveal the dynamics of change of concentracion of harmful substances accumulating in one or another form and aggregate state in an inspected industrial region. This problem is especially urgent for major regions of the counry where the industrial power is concentrated, respectively.

Now investigators of different countries devoted a considerable attention to studying the physical processes in suspension flows, especially to the energy exchange between solid and fluid phases of these flows, what determines to a large extent the life time of solid particles in every flow. The last circumstance in its turn influences the optical properties of the environment, for example, by decreasing the limpidity of a liquid, when concentration of solid particles increases, and vice versa. Of course, it is necessary to take into account not only the concentration, but also the particle size distribution (the spectrum of particles) . Besides, the settling velocity of particles is one of the parameters which determine the ecological status of different water objects. It is known, that solid particles are carried by water flows, may absorb chemical and radioactive poilutants, transport them on big distances.

The experimental work done with the light beating spectroscopy method allows to study the phenomenon of inelastic light scattering from the shape oscillation of liquid droplet in the model system (the single droplet of mercury with radii R equals 50 - 150 micrometers ) and in the processes accompanied by the large changing of surfaces (droplets' coagulation, breakdown of liquid jets). The obtained results can be considered as a base for a principally new uncontact distant method of droplet size measurement.

The results of long term experiment on twenty-four-hour observations of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) parameters with acoustic sounders (sodars) in Moscow during a period from January 1989 until December 1991 are presented. This experiment also included simultaneous sodar observations at three points within the city and suburbs during three months in different seasons. The statistics of the boundary layer parameters as well as the data on their spatial variations over the city are discussed. The data of the first wind measurements in the ABL over the center of the city are presented. The comparison of local concentrations of two pollutants and the parameters measured by sodar (the mixing height and the wind speed) are given.

The results of regular soot concentration measurements in Moscow during a period from February 1989 until December 1992 are presented. Correlations of soot variations with far transfer parameters and sodar data for local conditions are discussed.

Lately the investigations of the Arctic atmospheric aerosol are actively carried out. It is connected, in the first place, with the long-range transport of anthropogenic pollutants to the Arctic from the Middle latitudes and their accumulation in the Arctic atmosphere during winter-spring season. The importance of such investigations is caused by possible ecological and, in particular, climatic effects of pollution accumulation in the Arctic atmosphere. In the present work the results of the investigations carried out by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in some regions of the Arctic (Severenaya Zemlya, the Wrangel Island, North Atlantic) in 1984-91 are summarized. We had studied the element composition of the Arctic aerosol (including element carbon) and possible pathways of the aerosol transport to the observation points.

Fogs as well as aerosols are suspensions of either water drops in the air or products of gas-phase chemical reactions, technological discharges in production, soil erosion, vital functions of seas and oceans. The size of their particles as well as the composition of substances are different. The origin of fogs and aerosols is also different but the processes of forming and growing of particles which are part of clouds have a similar character in many respects, being determined by the value and gradient of pressure and temperature, wind intensity, etc. The high aqueous level of fogs and aerosols binds a big number of most various substances favouring their concentrated influence on animal and vegetable kingdom. The situation is aggravated in winter time when the temperature of surrounding air is low and non-freezing areas of water reservoirs and lakes are suppliers of saturated water vapors which, after being transformed into crystals, accumulate substances of different origin present in the atmosphere.

A conception and technical realization of a spectrofluorimeter for detection, identification and thickness measurements of the oil films on the water surface are presented in this paper. Remote analysis of the oil spills on the water surface is of interest in the environment control, searching and rescue works on the sea, safety supervision for oil extraction and fuel transportation on the expanse of water, and so on. The remote laser spectrofluorimetry is a promising way to solve these problems. Detection of signals of the fluorescence excited in the oil film by laser pulse is the physical basis for remote oil analysis by a spectrofluorimeter which includes detection of a spill, identification of the oil type, determination of the spill dimensions (film thickness and square) and its age.

Since 1986 we designed and tested in field conditions a few modifications of lidars, enabling us to get comprehensive information about remotely registered signal. The field experiments were mostly conducted in the Black and Baltic Seas, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The present paper observes the results of 'in situ' measurements of oceanic pollutions, some hydrographic parameters and describes the specifications of our modern laser fluorosensor which operate with spectral and temporal parameters of detected signal simultaneously. This lidar is a low-weight and rather compact design, which can operate as airborne, shipboard or ground-based sensor.

The calculations show that the absorption of the direct solar radiation in the surface 1-meter layer of the ocean depending on the transparence of the water can result in the change of the heat-and-mass exchange in it. Two new regimes of the heat and mass exchange are described, found experimentally in situ with the help of microthermoprobe. Data on the intensity of heat- and-mass exchange of the ocean and atmosphere are given.

The technics of the sea diffusion experiments with luminescent dyes are described. The preferences of the remote optical technics for these purposes are emphasized. Some of the main results of the sea diffusion experiments are briefly discussed.

This article presents a description of the new instrumental method and device for automatic measurement of water turbidity (WT) by means of photoelectron flow ultramicroscope (PFU). The method presents the WT determination by measuring the number concentration (number of particles suspended in 1 cm³ of water under study) using the PFU and demonstrates much higher sensitivity and accuracy in comparison with the usual methods--turbidimetry and nephelometry.

The fluorescence emission spectra of tap and drinking water, natural and industrial waste water, as well as aqueous solutions of some synthetic oligopeptides and different components of tap water obtained under the excitation by both XeCl ((lambda) equals 308 nm) and KrF ((lambda) equals 248 nm) excimer lasers have been analyzed. The results suggest the applicability of a KrF laser-induced fluorescence for monitoring of tap and waste water.

Experimental investigation of surface-active films' influences on statistical characteristics of wind waves was conducted in ring pool by the use of laser scanning locator. It has been shown that the film's influence on the sea surface causes a significant change of statistical characteristics of the surface. The degree of the influence depends on the composition and concentration of the films. It has been shown that the SAM-films' appearance on the water surface can be clearly registered by the use of the laser scanning locator down to very small concentrations of about some fractions of mg/m.

New laser-induced fluorescence method (LFM) are proposed for determination of uranium (VI) in concentration range of 10^-7 - 10^-11 g/ml and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in concentration range 10^-7 - 5(DOT)10^-10 g/ml in the environment. A repetive pulsed laser, spectral and time discrimination and averaging technique are used. LFM does not need a preconcentration step or separation of VI and PAH from interfering elements. By using LFM new luminescent analyzers were made. The use of the analyzers made possible to perform the VI and PAH determination both in static and dynamic conditions. The time needed for analysis is only 1 - 3 minutes.

The optoacoustic device consisting of a XeCl excimer laser and a measurement cell with an attached piezotransducer was used for detecting microparticles suspended in liquid probes. The potential of optoacoustic diagnostics of microinhomogeneous liquids was enhanced by applying information parameters of optoacoustic response. Probes of distilled water and Dow Chemical latex suspension were used in experiments. It was shown that the optimal laser energy deposit for individual particle detection corresponds to the coexistence of the thermal expansion mechanism of optoacoustic conversion and the cavitation mechanism.

At present, remote photography materials occupy an increasingly significant place in the organization of monitoring of soil cover. With the aim of analyzing the mutual relationship and correlation of remote sensing information about the image tone with the soils' properties as an object of monitoring, various and many-sided investigations are now being conducted to analyze the spectral reflectance property of soil samples in laboratory conditions as well as field investigation of soils' color characteristics. Of greatest interest are the data of field observations, since they most fully reflect the natural status of the moment of photographing the surface. Some scientists who performed research in field conditions draw our attention to the existing micro-heterogeneities of the soils' surface, however no considerable attention is devoted to that. In this connection, the object of our studies was evaluation of the degree of spatial heterogeneity of the open surface of arable chernozem soils from the point of view of the reflectance capacity of that surface.

The laws of salts' influence on the spectral reflectance of the soils of serozem zone are considered in this work. The forms of regression equilibriums and correlation coefficients' values depend on the season, the type of the soil, the level of salinization, the chemical composition and the properties of salts. To determine the degree of salinization of arable soils under the cotton crops, the values of the total spectral brightness of the system 'soil + plants' obtained from aerophotography and scanner survey, should be used. This method allows to distinguish non-saline and slightly saline soils from solonchaks with confidence level of 0.95 and 0.70, respectively.

Regularities of change of oil-polluted soils' reflectance spectra are revealed in the present work, and a possibility of using the method of remote monitoring for determining the level of soils' pollution is discussed.

The use of multiple scattering effects in lidar sounding of clouds permits to determine the extinction coefficient profile up to optical thicknesses of (tau) equals 8 - 10 and to measure the optical and geometric thicknesses of stratiform clouds up to (tau) equals 20. For this purpose a method of parameterization of multiple scattering contribution to a lidar signal as well as the lidar equation inversion procedure are discussed. The results of the field comparative experiments carried out are presented.

A relatively simple eye-safe compact solid-state lidar for measuring the aerosol backscatter coefficient and cloud height has been developed and tested. The performance of the laser radar based on the semiconductor laser and Single Photon Avalanche Diode as a receiver are discussed. The lidar produces detailed the backscatter coefficient profiles within a hundred meters in daytime with a signal-to-noise ratio of 1:20. By using the direct relationship between backscattering, extinction, and liquid water content these measurements can be converted to the meteovisibility and aerosol mass loading in fog and clouds. Indoor and outdoor data are presented.

The object of the present work is investigation of remote temperature diagnostics of a droplet stream by the method of laser probing. This method is based on the detection of radiation of monodisperse particles, containing fluorescent components which are stimulated by the laser light. It is possible to determine the particles temperature according to the known dependences of radiation intensity on temperature by means of remote measuring of fluorescence intensity. Besides, in the present study the reverse dispersion of laser radiation on thin liquid jets and droplets is analyzed, as well as an attempt to obtain data on the heat exchange of heated droplets, moving through a medium, has been made.

A new approach to the determination of size distribution and velocity distribution functions of the polydisperse aerosol and hydrosol particles systems is considered. This approach is based on the laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) technique, and exploits the dependence of the translational particle velocity in a flow or in a still medium on the size and (possible) on other parameters of a particle. The most commonly used differential LDA measuring system is considered specially including the influence of its instrumental function on the shape of the measured spectra. It is shown that the intrinsic shape of the integral Doppler spectrum is determined by three functions characterizing the particles in the system: size distribution, translational velocity distribution, and the dependence of the light scattering cross-section of a particle on its size and the scattering angle.

The Y₃Al₅O₁₂:Er³⁺-laser-pumped CdSe parametric light generator with improved output characteristic was developed. Its output power was 16 and 23 kW in the 8 - 13 and 3.8 - 4.6 micrometers range respectively. Four CdSe crystals with different orientating provided a continuous wavelength tuning from 8 to 13 micrometers . The parametric light generator was employed in the design of prototype DIAL system intended for a remote gas analysis of atmospheric pollutants along a 80 m path. The result obtained from testing the DIAL system are reported.

The laser-optic equipment and technique for conducting measurements over long paths, for remote sampling at various heights and for express-type analysis of samples taken are dealt with in the article. The given examples demonstrate the use of the equipment and technique for ecological monitoring of the atmospheric air in urban territory. Ways are considered how to make complex the given measurement devices complex in structures, ensuring solution of major tasks of monitoring the atmospheric air in towns and in their environs.

The authors propose the method of analysis of the state of a random inhomogeneous environment, polluted by moving particles, using time averaging of coherent radiation, scattered by this environment. This method makes possible to detect small amount of moving particles of various nature (absorbing, scattering and transparent) and to estimate concentration, pollution degree, average velocity and size and velocities dispersion of these particles in various parts of the environment.

The present paper examines location equations describing direct and back scattering of electromagnetic waves on an object moving against the background of nonuniform medium transversely to the direction to the receiver. The radial Doppler signal component is missing in this case. The multiple scattering on nonuniformities of the medium of background and object resulting in the Doppler background signal component is considered in the coupling wave approximation with the aid of the projection operator technique. In addition to the traditional background and transverse Doppler components resulting from scattering on medium nonuniformities, the obtained equations comprise the background Doppler and the background shadow components due to wave scattering on medium nonuniformities. The results of this study are applicable to investigations of liquids by optical beating spectroscopy methods, and to investigations of the atmosphere by means of location in the optical, infra-red and radio bands. The results of the experimental study of nonuniform liquid media by optical beating spectroscopy at small-angle scattering are observed.

This paper reviews the results of laser absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy instrumentation, and methods development at the Institute of Atmospheric Optics during the last 15 years and their application to problems of local gas analysis.

The paper deals with different aspects of utilizing new technologies in the ecological monitoring systems. Underlying the article are the results of scientific research and original work-outs by the Institute for Mathematical Modelling of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Science and Technology Center `REAGENT' in the field of vacuum, microchannel plate, laser and transputer technologies. Considered in the present work is the laboratory base of IMM RAS - STC `REAGENT' for interpreting the monitoring data and debugging the devices created on the basis of these technologies. As an example illustrating the possibilities of the new technique in monitoring, an important task of detecting the space debris is put forth.

The bacteriological disinfective action of UV-radiation is well known. The pioneer work on UV-radiation used for bacteriological disinfection of waste water was made in 1910. Because of the high cost and low living time of the UV-radiation sources, the alternative technique for waste water purification by chlorine introducing was spread out. During the second stage of the UV purification development, beginning in approximately 1970, the interest for bacteriological cleaning of water, increased again. Two reasons were responsible for this event: first, the significant improvement of technology and design of UV-bacteriological purificators, and second, recognition of the serious danger of chlorine compounds introduced into water under purification because of the toxicity of these compounds. Further investigations gave excellent results in the creation and industrial applications of UV- bacteriological purificators. Now we can see a rapid development of industrial technology in UV-purification of drinking and waste waters.

Emissions, economics, and equipment lifetime in an industrial combustion facility depend greatly on flame and hot-wall operating temperatures. In this work a non-intrusive optical technique for accurate simultaneous monitoring the temperature of the flame and the hot-wall surface situated behind the flame, using a single instrument, has been developed and tested in field conditions.

Problems of soot trap regeneration using microwave energy are examined. Merits of application of biperiodic slow-wave structures (BTWS) in microwave devices for heating of dielectric materials are shown. Properties and design features of BTWS are examined for a specific case--for solving the problem of soot trap regeneration of car diesel engines.

The investigation of local and spatial flow field features in the lean premixed propane/air flame with flashback happening continuously has been made. LDV measurements were supplemented with pressure and flame position measurements, flow and flame front structure visualizations. Two flow duct configurations with different inlet/outlet conditions have been investigated.

The multi-stage optoelectronic analog-digital adder with error distribution between processing stages is presented as a base for the aerospace image array processor. Special algorithmic methods of hardware expenditures reduction are elaborated. A digital optoelectronic correlator on the basis of parallel adder with throughout 8 X 10¹¹ bit/sec is presented.

The wide-scale introduction of computer technique in everyday life puts forward a problem of creating means of data reflection harmless for the operator's health. The matter is that the traditional color displays radiate X- and electromagnetic rays harmful for health. Furthermore, the eyesight is affected because of imperfection of TV-tubes which is the result in quick tiredness, pain in the eyes, headaches etc. One possible solution to this problem is liquid- crystal matrix screens with active addressation, but there are problems with creating matrices with a bigger area and density of elements of the image. Besides there are technical problems of manufacturing the transistor matrices of a big area to control LC-elements. The present paper deal with the problem of creating such displays.

The problems of road visibility hold a special position in road safety. On the average, up to 15% of all accidents take place in conditions of limited visual range. One of the main reasons for road accidents is that the upper beam of head lamps of the opposite-direction vehicles dazzles a drive. The driver experiences a painful sensation at a distance of 200 meters or less. After termination of the dazzling effect the eyes' relaxation comes tens of seconds later; it means that some 400 meters the car moves without guidance. In this paper an anti-dazzling device, preventing the upper beam of head lamps of opposite-direction vehicles to dazzle a driver, is described. The device consists of 2 electrooptical liquid crystalline shutters, the goggles casing and of electronic control circuit, allowing to vary the light transmission of the shutters, as the illuminance of the photodetector varies.

Analysis is carried out of development trends in modern scintillation equipment, detectors of radiation, radiometric instruments and schemes.

The computing informational network of continuous observation of physical parameters which characterize geodynamic situation in Transcaucasus can give essential tool for searching precursors of earthquakes. Using of fiber-optic sensors with high sensitivity and ability of being installed in inaccessible places, together with the jamproof lightguide communication lines can support effective functioning of such network.