RT Journal Article ID 0089d3b251af8751 A1 Minakov, A. A. T1 Space Lenses JF Telecommunications and Radio Engineering JO TRE YR 2003 FD 2004-10-25 VO 60 IS 10-12 OP 19 AB A review of investigation of natural lenses is presented, that was carried out in the Institute of Radio Physics and Electronics and in the Institute of Radio Astronomy of NAS of Ukraine during many years. Kharkov scientific school of "lensists" has been founded using an idea of lens effect of the terrestrial atmosphere, which has been for the first time formulated by the Ukrainian Academician Alexander Yakovlevich Usikov in 1961. For many long years, the school was being headed by the honourable worker of the Ukrainian science and technology, Professor P.V. Bliokh. The methods to calculate diffraction, statistical and geometric-optical characteristics of various natural lenses in a wide wavelength range have been developed by this school. Such lenses as the Earth atmosphere, solar corona, the shadow from the Moon in solar eclipses, and gravitational lenses are discussed in the work. Many of the results of theoretical efforts have been demonstrated experimentally. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/0632a9d54950b268,14d65ea3794149fe,0089d3b251af8751.html