A theory of the photoionization of liquid water and aqueous solutions of sa
lts was developed. The inhomogeneity of the local electric fields and poten
tials in the liquid at the moment of ionization was taken into account. The
experimental dependences of the photoelectric yield for the photoionizatio
n of pure water and aqueous solutions of KI, KBr, KCl, and KOH on the photo
n energy (within 7-10.5 eV) were interpreted.