Rebecca (Becky) Schwantes

Grad Student, Environmental Science and Engineering (Division of Geology and Planetary Sciences) 

Office: 121 Linde Robinson  

Office Phone: 626-395-2133 

Email: rschwant ‘at symbol’ caltech.edu 

Education: B.S. Chemistry and B.A. Mathematics, University of Virginia, 2009 

Research Interests:  

Overall Goal:  

To understand how anthropogenic pollutants such as NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) affect biogenic secondary organic aerosol formation.  

Currently working on: 

I am currently using GEOS-Chem, a global chemical transport model, to better understand nighttime isoprene chemistry. Isoprene emissions account for around 1/3 of all volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. During the night isoprene reacts with NO3 to form isoprene nitrates. It is important to understand how isoprene nitrates form and interact in the atmosphere because they impact secondary organic aerosol formation and the distribution of gaseous species such as NOx and ozone in the atmosphere.