We retrieved the total content of the atmospheric water vapor (or Integrated Water Vapor, IWV) from extensive sets of photometric data obtained since 1995 at Lindenberg Meteorological Observatory with star and sun photometers. Different methods of determination of the empirical parameters that are necessary for the retrieval are discussed. The instruments were independently calibrated using laboratory measurements made at Pulkovo Observatory with the VKM-100 multi-pass vacuum cell. The empirical parameters were also calculated by the simulation of the atmospheric absorption by water vapor, using the MODRAN-4 program package for different model atmospheres. The results are compared to those presented in the literature, obtained with different instruments and methods of the retrieval. The reliability of the empirical parameters, used for the power approximation that links the water vapor content with the observed absorption, is analyzed. Currently, the total (from measurements, calibration, and calculations) errors yield the standard uncertainty of about 10% in the total column water vapor. We discuss the possibilities for improving the accuracy of calibration to ~1% as indispensable condition in order to make it possible to use data obtained by optical photometry as an independent reference for other methods (GPS, MW-radiometers, lidar, etc).

We describe the laboratory complex for the calibration of photometers that are used in weather service to measure the water vapor content in the Earth atmosphere. The complex was built up in Pulkovo Observatory and developed within the framework of collaboration between Pulkovo Observatory and Lindenberg Meteorological Observatory (Meteorologisches Observatorium Lindenberg - Richard-A{\ss}mann-Observatorium, Lindenberg, Germany). It is used to obtain calibration dependences for individual devices, and also to develop and compare various methods of construction of calibration dependences. These techniques are based on direct calibration of the photometers, on the use of spectral laboratory transmission functions for water vapor, on calculation methods using spectroscopical databases for individual lines. We hope that when the parameters of the equipment are taken into account in detail and new results for the absorptive power of water vapor are used, the accuracy of determination of the water vapor content in the atmosphere of 1-2% may be attained.

On the basis of experience acquired at creation of the Pulkovo Spectrophotometric Catalog the method of investigation of a terrestrial atmospheric components (aerosols and water vapor) in night time are designed. For these purposes the small-sized photometers were created. Carried out in 1995-1999{\Gamma}.{\Gamma}. series of night and daily monitoring of the atmospheric condition in Pulkovo, in MGO by A.I.Voejkov., in Germany (complex experiments LITFASS 98 and LACE 98) confirmed suitability of devices, techniques of observations and their reduction designed in Pulkovo Observatory for the solution of geophysical and ecological problems. A final aim of this work - creation of small-sized automatic complexes (telescope + photometer), which would be rightful component of meteorological observatories. Such complexes will work without the help of the observer and would provide the daily monitoring of a terrestrial atmosphere.

This paper describes the accuracy and the errors of water vapour content measurements in the atmosphere using optical methods, especially starphotometer. After the general explanations of the used expressions for the star-magnitude observations of the water vapour absorption in section 3 the absorption model for the water vapour band will be discussed. Sections 4 and 5 give an overview on the technique to determine the model parameters both from spectroscopic laboratory and radiosonde observation data. Finally, the sections 6 and 7 are dealing with the details of the errors; that means errors of observable magnitude, of instrumental extraterrestrial magnitude, of atmospheric extinction determination and of water vapour content determination by radiosonde humidity measurements. The main conclusion is: Because of the high precision of the results the optical methods for water vapour observation are suited to validate and calibrate alternative methods (GPS, LIDAR, MICROWAVE) which are making constant progress world-wide in these days.

We retrieved the total content of the atmospheric water vapor from extensive sets of photometric data obtained since 1995 at Lindenberg Meteorological Observatory with star and sun photometers. Different methods of determination of the empirical parameters that are necessary for the retrieval are discussed. The instruments were independently calibrated using laboratory measurements made at Pulkovo Observatory with the VKM-100 multi-pass vacuum cell. The empirical parameters were also calculated by the simulation of the atmospheric absorption by water vapor, using the MODRAN-4 program package for different model atmospheres. The results are compared to those presented in the literature, obtained with different instruments and methods of the retrieval. The accuracy of the empirical parameters used for the power approximation that links the water vapor content with the observed absorption is analyzed. Currently, the calibration and measurement errors yield the uncertainty of about 10% in the total column water vapor. We discuss the possibilities for improving the accuracy to ~1%, which will make it possible to use data obtained by optical photometry as an independent reference for other methods (GPS, LIDAR, etc).

We present the results of our visual and near-infrared spectrophotometric observations for 77 variable stars obtained during 1971–1991 in Chile, Armenia, and Bolivia. The quasi-monochromatic, extraatmospheric fluxes from the stars are given in absolute energy units (W m −2 m −1 ) at all wavelengths of the spectral range at 2.5-nm intervals.

The possibility of using sound-stimulated extraction in order to increase the yield of flavonoids from fruits of bird cherry (Padus avium Mill.) was studied. The flavonoid yield depends on the extractant type and temperature. By selecting the optimum extraction conditions and using acoustic treatment, it is possible to achieve a considerable (∼48 %) increase in the efficiency of extraction with a significantly reduced extraction time.

Preparations containing complexes of biologically active substances extracted from medicinal plants act upon various systems of the organism, including the antioxidant protection system. For this reason, phytopreparations can be used both for the prophylaxis and for the complex therapy of free-radical pathologies. The antioxidant activity of phytopreparations is determined by the features of their chemical structures and by the content of biologically active substances. Therefore, it is necessary to study how the qualitative and quantitative composition and the interaction between various biologically active substances of medicinal plants influence the antioxidant activity of phytopreparations. Previously [1] we estimated the antioxidant activity of tinctures and balsams. This study is devoted to the antioxidant properties of individual biologically active compounds and aqueous tinctures from raw plant materials. Based on these data, we established relationships between the level of antioxidant activity of phytopreparations and the content of various biologically active substances belonging to various chemical groups.

The Pulkovo spectrophotometric catalog was published in Baltic Astronomy Vol.5 No.4 (1996).Here we present a supplement of the catalog containing the flux distribution data for 77 stars in the wavelength range from 320 nm to 735 nm.Actually, this is a direct continuation of Table 6 of the catalog.

This paper describes the design and optical layout of the achromatic system of the complex Fabry lens of a stellar electrophotometer with an SPCM-100-PQ light detector having a light-sensitive surface 0.1 mm in diameter. The Fabry lens consists of an uncemented achromatic doublet and an OM-27 microscope objective. As a pair, they transfer the exit pupil of the telescope to the light detector with a reduction by a factor of 580.