Thermal defocusing of the optical radiation traveling in an absorbing disperse medium

A report is given of an experimental investigation of the action of millisecond light pulses on an absorbing aqueous aerosol. A calculation is made of the temperature distribution of a medium in which fog drops are evaporated. The quasioptics approximation is employed in an analysis of the defocusing and wind deflection of a light beam traveling along a path with a thermal lens.