The Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) is a new international research programme which aims to address our understanding of the coupled ocean-atmosphere system and the biogeochemical and physical interactions within it. The following examples of research topics to be studied under SOLAS are presented in the paper: the DMS-climate linkage, organo-iodine compounds and new particle formation, alkyl nitrates and oxygenated trace gases and atmospheric inputs mediating ocean biogeochemistry. Finally, we give a brief outline of the science agenda of the SOLAS programme.