This paper outlines the results of research on radar detection of man-made formations in the lower atmospheric layer at large distances. A generalized mathematical model of the scattering of electromagnetic waves (radar cross section - RCS) of the leakage from the chimney of a nuclear power plant was developed. The calculated functions of RCS from the radar wavelength showed that the RCS values for accidental leakage are not so large, which creates difficulties in radar detection. The problem of detecting and recognizing the type of leakage has a solution when using a network of multi-position multi-band radars.
