Chemical pathways involved in the nocturnal production of hydroxyl rad
ical (OH) and associated peroxy radicals (HO2 and RO2) are quantified
for various environmental situations of the continental troposphere by
means of numerical simulations. In the nocturnal stable layer, most o
f the OH radicals are directly produced by VOC+O-3 reactions in rural
and semipolluted environments while in urban environments, they result
mainly from the radical chain propagation from RO2 and HO2. The radic
al propagation is mainly driven by NO: the nitrate radical (NO3) plays
no role in such processes but is significantly involved in the direct
formation of RO2 radicals. Above the nocturnal stable layer, whatever
the environmental situation, OH radicals are mainly due to radical ch
ain propagation in which NO3 plays a significant role. The nighttime s
imulated OH concentrations are 3x10(4) to 5x10(5) and 1x10(4) to 5x10(
4) molec cm(-3) for the nocturnal stable and residual layers respectiv
ely.