FIELD: radio engineering; passive-location facilities; meteorology and civil aviation. SUBSTANCE: electromagnetic signal of lightning discharge (atmospheric disturbance) is received by two orthogonally positioned horizontal magnetic antennas and electrical vertical rod antenna; magnetic signals are pre-integrated to compensate for differential action of magnetic antennas; all signals obtained are amplified and filtered off in broad and similar frequency band; square of total magnetic signal and square of electric signal are determined, total magnetic signal is used to determine moment of arrival of ground ray; resonance signal is also formed between squares of magnetic and electric signals normalized so that differential signal is compensated for at time interval free from ground ray; differential signal is used to determine moment of arrival of ionosphere ray; time interval between moment of arrival of ground and ionosphere rays is metered and used to determine distance to lighting discharge. Measurements can be made at distance of 80 to 300 km from lighting discharge. EFFECT: improved measurement accuracy in case length of signal radiated from lighting discharge is in excess of time interval between moments of arrival of ground and ionosphere rays. 2 cl, 2 dwg
