Present policy issues concern the reduction of ozone levels by controlling its precursors, NO_x and volatile organic compounds (VOC). VOC are emitted from anthropogenic and biogenic sources. Whereas our understanding of VOC emissions from anthropogenic sources has advanced significantly in recent years, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning the contribution of biogenic VOC to the budget of organic trace gases and their impact on the formation of ozone in the troposphere. Improving ozone reduction strategies in the future requires a detailed understanding of the...

Every day, large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted into the atmosphere from both anthropogenic and natural sources. The formation of gaseous and particulate secondary products caused by oxidation of VOCs is one of the largest unknowns in the quantitative prediction of the earth's climate on a regional and global scale, and on the understanding of local air quality. To be able to model and control their impact, it is essential to understand the sources of VOCs, their distribution in the atmosphere and the chemical transformations which remove these compounds from the...

The book, the first in a series arising from the research network The Reacting Atmosphere, explains and outlines the aims of this ambitious cross-disciplinary effort. The central topic is air quality and climate change, and the methods of atmospheric physics and chemistry, applied mathematics and socio-economic science are used to advance the understanding of the role of the atmosphere in global change.