It is now possible to determine concentrations of trace constituents and pollutants in the lower atmosphere from space, a development which heralds a new era for tropospheric chemistry.

The  authors describe how to develop  and validate methods for determining tropospheric trace constituents from satellite data, to encourage the use of these data by atmospheric chemists, and to explore the undoubted synergism which will develop between satellite and ground-based measurements, and will eventually give rise to a permanent observation system for the troposphere. The book comprises several comprehensive overviews, prepared by acknowledged experts in the field, together with a series of individual reports from investigators whose work represents the cutting edge of the subject. A variety of results, giving global distributions of several species and their modelling are reported. Most results stem from ESA satellite data, but there is also an account of the North American work in this field which has mainly concentrated on global distributions of ozone.

It is fair to say that the field, as it develops, will revolutionize the way in which atmospheric chemistry is done. This timely book provides a good introduction for anyone with an interest in the future of the troposphere.

A major environmental concern is the increasing burden on all scales of photo-oxidants, acidifying substances and potential nutrients in the troposphere. These lead to episodes of summer smog, and appreciable damage to eco-systems both on land and at sea. Underlying the environmental effects is the complex scientific problem of linking the man-made and biological emissions to the myriad chemical reactions that transform the pollutants as they are transported to and deposited in the surroundings and also pristine areas remote from the sources. The project, the scientific results of which are described in this book, was set up to study the problem in an inter-disciplinary way by co-ordinating the work of more than 150 research groups in some 20 countries.