Ambient concentrations of photochemical oxidants (O3, PAN, HNO3, H2O2) and various trace species including reactive nitrogen compounds as well as total NOy were measured during June and early July 1992 at a rural site, SONIA, in the central Piedmont region of North Carolina, as a part of the Southern Oxidants Study. The measurements were made in an effort to provide a comprehensive understanding of tropospheric photochemistry in the rural Southeastern United States. NOy, NO2, and NO showed diurnal variations with maxima in the morning between 0600 and 0900 EST. The maximum NOy, NO, and NO2 concentrations reached were 14.5, 5.4, and 7.8 ppbv, respectively. The mean NOy concentration was found to be 2.63 ± 1.72 ppbv (n = 819) with an average daily maximum of 3.6 ppbv. The mean concentrations of NO and NO2 for the entire period of measurement were found to be 0.18 ± 0.37 ppbv (n = 794) and 1.31 ± 0.99 ppbv/(n = 769). H2O2, HNO3, and PAN showed diurnal variation with maxima in the afternoon and minima at night. Mean concentrations were found to be 0.52 ± 0.36 ppbv (n = 312), 0.67 ± 0.33 ppbv (n = 250), and 0.41 ± 0.24 ppbv (n = 578). The NOx/NOy ratio was used as an indicator of the chemical age of airmasses and the ratio showed strong positive correlations with the photochemical oxidants HNO3 (r = 0.76), PAN (r= 0.68), and O3 (r = 0.79) measured at the site. The relationship between the accumulation rate of O3 and the deviation from the photostationary state was examined based on the measured PSS constant obtained from the values of [O3], [NO], and [NO2] measured at the site.