Definition

Light is electromagnetic radiation that can influence atmospheric chemical processes and air pollutant formation. In air quality, sunlight, particularly its ultraviolet (UV) component, provides the energy needed to drive photochemical reactions involving pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These reactions can produce secondary pollutants, including ground-level ozone. The intensity and duration of sunlight, along with temperature and atmospheric conditions, can affect the rate of these photochemical reactions and influence ozone concentrations.