Investigation of the stability of the position of a laser beam in the atmosphere

The use of a laser technique in geodesic measurements in land-melioration projects is investigated experimentally with reference to the construction of an irrigation system in the Krasnodarsk region. The position stability of the laser beam in the atmospheric surface layer was studied, and results indicate that, even though the effect of the environment on the measurement accuracy is substantial, it cannot as yet be quantified. This necessitates constant monitoring of the laser-beam position.