Change in the refractive index of a liquid containing absorbing particles and illuminated with a high-power light beam

It is shown that the fonnation of vapor bubbles around absorbing centers in a liquid illuminated with a laser beam not only enhances light scattering but also alters the refractive index of the medium. Equations describing the dynamics of the refractive properties of a liquid are obtained and solved. The results are given of experiments which are in agreement with the proposed mechanism of the appearance of optical inhomogeneities.