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，人为排放可能会改变大气的组成，往往会产生意想不到的后果。一个例子是持久性温室气体对气候的影响；另一个例子是氮氧化物(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。NOx是高温燃烧的副产品，例如在汽车尾气中发现。挥发性有机化合物是由植物自然排放的，也是由多种人类活动排放的。政策制定者需要准确了解NOx和VOCs及其分解产物对臭氧和细颗粒物丰度的影响，以便就污染控制作出明智的决定。

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.