HOx (OH+HO2) and NOx (NO+NO2) radicals play a key role in controlling global ozone. However, several atmospheric measurements of these species are larger than current model calculations suggest. The oxidation of H2 and N2O by the second electronically excited state of oxygen, O2(b1&Sgr;g+), is theoretically possible and proposed here as an atmospheric source of these radicals. if only 1% of the quenching of O2(b1&Sgr;g+) by H2 and N2O results in the proposed oxidation products (OH and NO+NO2), then model calculations predict a significant production of these radicals in exactly those regions of the atmosphere were current models seem to fail. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1993