Femto-, Picosecond,and Terahertz Optoacoustics

The possibilities offered by the optoacoustic monitoring of the sea shelf are considered, based on the development of reliable laser sources of femto- and picosecond pulse duration and new ways of detecting and processing high-frequency signals. The basis of these new possibilities is a volume source of sound produced as a result of the breakdown of the medium under the action of ultrashort laser pulses. An overview of new worldwide achievements is presented. The results from a number of model experiments on the optoacoustic monitoring of low concentrations of gas impurities, and on the precise monitoring of the sea shelf, are interpreted.