Paul O. Wennberg
R. Stanton Avery Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Environmental Science and Engineering
B.A., Oberlin College, 1985; Ph.D., Harvard University, 1994. Associate Professor, Caltech, 1998-2001; Professor, 2001-04; Avery Professor, 2004-; Director, Linde Center, 2008-11, 2014-23; Executive Officer, 2012-23; Acting Director, Linde Center, 2012-14.
Research Summary
Laboratory and field studies probing the processes controlling photochemistry, dynamics, and radiation in the Earth's atmosphere; spectroscopy and kinetics; aircraft-borne and ground-based instrument development; Mars photochemistry and atmospheric science.
Research Options
Environmental Science and Engineering;
Research Areas
Atmospheric Chemistry;
Environmental Geochemistry;
Publications
- Brune, William. H.;Nguyen, Tran B. et al. (2024) Comparison of Isoprene Chemical Mechanisms with Chamber and Field ObservationsACS Earth and Space Chemistry
- Pye, Havala O. T.;Xu, Lu et al. (2024) Evolution of Reactive Organic Compounds and Their Potential Health Risk in Wildfire SmokeEnvironmental Science & Technology
- Mottungan, Kavitha;Roychoudhury, Chayan et al. (2024) Local and regional enhancements of CH₄, CO, and CO₂ inferred from TCCON column measurementsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques
- Byrne, Brendan;Liu, Junjie et al. (2024) Carbon emissions from the 2023 Canadian wildfiresNature
- Liu, Junjie;Bowman, Kevin et al. (2024) Enhanced Carbon Flux Response to Atmospheric Aridity and Water Storage Deficit During the 2015–2016 El Niño Compromised Carbon Balance Recovery in Tropical South AmericaAGU Advances
- Frankenberg, C.;Bar‐On, Y. M. et al. (2024) Data Drought in the Humid Tropics: How to Overcome the Cloud Barrier in Greenhouse Gas Remote SensingGeophysical Research Letters
- Roberts, James M.;Wang, Siyuan et al. (2024) Observations of cyanogen bromide (BrCN) in the global troposphere and their relation to polar surface O₃ destructionAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics
- Liu, Junjie;Wennberg, Paul O. (2024) An emergent constraint on the thermal sensitivity of photosynthesis and greenness in the high latitude northern forestsScientific Reports
- Schulze, Benjamin C.;Ward, Ryan X. et al. (2023) Methane Emissions from Dairy Operations in California's San Joaquin Valley Evaluated Using Airborne Flux MeasurementsEnvironmental Science & Technology
- Wennberg, Paul O. (2023) Let's Abandon the "High NOₓ" and "Low NOₓ" TerminologyACS ES&T Air
- Yu, Hongmin;Møller, Kristian H. et al. (2023) Atmospheric Photo-Oxidation of 2-Ethoxyethanol: Autoxidation Chemistry of Glycol EthersJournal of Physical Chemistry A
- Travis, Katherine R.;Crawford, James. H. et al. (2023) Emission Factors for Crop Residue and Prescribed Fires in the Eastern US During FIREX-AQJournal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
- Wang, Yuan;Liu, Junjie et al. (2023) Elucidating climatic drivers of photosynthesis by tropical forestsGlobal Change Biology
- Guan, Yifan;Keppel-Aleks, Gretchen et al. (2023) Characteristics of interannual variability in space-based XCO₂ global observationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics
- Murphy, Sara E.;Crounse, John D. et al. (2023) Accretion product formation in the self-reaction of ethene-derived hydroxy peroxy radicalsEnvironmental Science: Atmospheres
- Yin, Yi;He, Liyin et al. (2023) Unequal exposure to heatwaves in Los Angeles: Impact of uneven green spacesScience Advances
- Xu, Lu;Coggon, Matthew M. et al. (2022) Chemical ionization mass spectrometry utilizing ammonium ions (NH₄⁺ CIMS) for measurements of organic compounds in the atmosphereAtmospheric Measurement Techniques
- Rickly, Pamela S.;Guo, Hongyu et al. (2022) Emission factors and evolution of SO₂ measured from biomass burning in wildfires and agricultural firesAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics
- Zhang, Xuan;Wang, Siyuan et al. (2022) Probing isoprene photochemistry at atmospherically relevant nitric oxide levelsChem
- Wu, Dien;Liu, Junjie et al. (2022) Towards sector-based attribution using intra-city variations in satellite-based emission ratios between CO₂ and COAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics
- Bourgeois, Ilann;Peischl, Jeff et al. (2022) Comparison of airborne measurements of NO, NO₂, HONO, No_y, and CO during FIREX-AQAtmospheric Measurement Techniques
- Schneider, Matthias;Ertl, Benjamin et al. (2022) Synergetic use of IASI profile and TROPOMI total-column level 2 methane retrieval productsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques
- Tribby, Ariana L.;Bois, Justin S. et al. (2022) Hydrocarbon Tracers Suggest Methane Emissions from Fossil Sources Occur Predominately Before Gas Processing and That Petroleum Plays Are a Significant SourceEnvironmental Science and Technology
- Berndt, Torsten;Chen, Jing et al. (2022) Hydrotrioxide (ROOOH) formation in the atmosphereScience
- Wolfe, Glenn M.;Hanisco, Thomas F. et al. (2022) Photochemical evolution of the 2013 California Rim Fire: synergistic impacts of reactive hydrocarbons and enhanced oxidantsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics
ESE/Ge/Ch 171. Atmospheric Chemistry I.
9 units (3-0-6); second term, 2023-24.
Prerequisites: Ch 1 or equivalent.
A detailed course about chemical transformation in Earth's atmosphere. Kinetics, spectroscopy, and thermodynamics of gas-phase chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; sources, sinks, and lifetimes of trace atmospheric species; stratospheric ozone chemistry; oxidation mechanisms in the troposphere; aerosol chemistry.
Instructor: Wennberg
Instructor: Wennberg
ESE/Ge/Ch 171. Atmospheric Chemistry I.
9 units (3-0-6); second term, 2022-23.
Prerequisites: Ch 1 or equivalent.
A detailed course about chemical transformation in Earth's atmosphere. Kinetics, spectroscopy, and thermodynamics of gas-phase chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; sources, sinks, and lifetimes of trace atmospheric species; stratospheric ozone chemistry; oxidation mechanisms in the troposphere; aerosol chemistry.
Instructor: Wennberg
Instructor: Wennberg
ESE/Ge/Ch 172. Atmospheric Chemistry II.
3 units (3-0-0); first term, 2022-23.
Prerequisites: ESE/Ge/Ch 171 or equivalent.
A lecture and discussion course about active research in atmospheric chemistry. Potential topics include halogen chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; aerosol formation in remote environments; coupling of dynamics and photochemistry; development and use of modern remote-sensing and in situ instrumentation. Graded pass/fail.
Given in alternate years; not offered 2022-23.
Instructors: Seinfeld, Wennberg
Instructors: Seinfeld, Wennberg
ESE 1. Earth's Climate.
9 units (3-0-6); third term, 2021-22.
An introduction to climate on Earth. How Earth's climate has changed in the past and its evolving response to the rapid increase in carbon dioxide and methane happening today. Model projections of future climate and associated risks. Development of climate policies in face of uncertainty in these projections and risks. Enrollment is limited. Satisfies the menu requirement of the Caltech core curriculum. Juniors and Seniors who have satisfied their menu course requirement should enroll in ESE 101.
Instructor: Wennberg
Instructor: Wennberg
ESE/Ge/Ch 171. Atmospheric Chemistry I.
9 units (3-0-6); third term, 2021-22.
Prerequisites: Ch 1 or equivalent.
A detailed course about chemical transformation in Earth's atmosphere. Kinetics, spectroscopy, and thermodynamics of gas-phase chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; sources, sinks, and lifetimes of trace atmospheric species; stratospheric ozone chemistry; oxidation mechanisms in the troposphere; aerosol chemistry.
Instructors: Seinfeld, Wennberg
Instructors: Seinfeld, Wennberg
ESE/Ge/Ch 172. Atmospheric Chemistry II.
3 units (3-0-0); first term, 2021-22.
Prerequisites: ESE/Ge/Ch 171 or equivalent.
A lecture and discussion course about active research in atmospheric chemistry. Potential topics include halogen chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; aerosol formation in remote environments; coupling of dynamics and photochemistry; development and use of modern remote-sensing and in situ instrumentation. Graded pass/fail. Given in alternate years; not offered 2021-2022.
Instructors: Seinfeld, Wennberg
Instructors: Seinfeld, Wennberg
ESE 1. Earth's Climate.
9 units (3-0-6); third term, 2020-21.
An introduction to the coupling between atmospheric composition and climate on Earth. How Earth's climate has changed in the past and its evolving response to the rapid increase in carbon dioxide and methane happening today. Model projections of future climate and associated risks. Development of climate policies in face of uncertainty in these projections and risks. Enrollment is limited. Satisfies the menu requirement of the Caltech core curriculum. Juniors and Seniors who have satisfied their menu course requirement should enroll in ESE 101.
Instructor: Wennberg
Instructor: Wennberg