Elucidating the atmospheric chemistry of organic nitrates and reactive halogens in laboratory experiments and in ambient air

越来越多的公众意识到，人为的排放物可以改变大气的成分，往往会带来意想不到的后果。一个例子是持续存在的温室气体对气候的影响；另一个是氮氧化物（NOx）和挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）等污染物对区域空气质量的影响。氮氧化物是高温燃烧的副产品，可以在汽车尾气中找到。挥发性有机化合物是由植被自然排放的，但也由许多人类活动排放。决策者需要准确了解氮氧化物和挥发性有机化合物及其分解产物对臭氧和细颗粒物丰度的影响，以便在污染控制方面做出明智的决策。

There is growing public awareness that the composition of the atmosphere can be altered by man-made emissions with often unintended consequences. One example is the impact of persistent greenhouse gases on climate; another is the impact of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on regional air quality. NOx is a byproduct of high-temperature combustion and found, for example, in automobile exhaust. VOCs are emitted naturally by vegetation but also by a multitude of human activities. Accurate knowledge of the impact of NOx and VOCs and their decomposition products on the abundances of ozone and fine particulate matter is needed for policy makers to make informed decisions on pollution control.