The NO and NO2 radicals play important roles in atmospheric chemistry. This paper, therefore, theoretically discusses the following speculations: (1) the O2(B3∑)+N2→2NO reaction, and perhaps the photoexcitation of the N2⋅O2 dimers (or collision complexes) by Herzberg band photons as well, may be potentially important atmospheric sources of odd-nitrogen, (2) there is a tantalizing potential for a substantive NOx production of the order of 1200 NOx cm-3 s-1 in the upper troposphere subject to certain condition, and (3) photodissociation of the possible N2O⋅O3 species in the 320 to 430 nm may be a non-trivial source of NOx in the upper troposphere. Experimental studies of these ideas are needed, due to their relevance in regional pollution and global change issues. ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union