Alessandra Ricca
Ph. D.
Affiliation: SETI Institute/NASA Ames Research Center
Email: alessandra.ricca-1@nasa.gov
Phone: (650) 604-5410
Professional Biography
Dr. Ricca is a computational chemist with over 25 years of experience in modeling the formation, reactivity, spectroscopy, and optical properties of organic compounds in the gas-phase and in ices. She is a leading contributor of theoretical PAH infrared spectra to the NASA Ames PAH IR Spectroscopic Database.
Education
B.S., December 1988, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
M.S., March 1989, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, July 1993, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Research Interests
Study the spectral characteristics of PAHs and nanograins in the interstellar medium and understand their photochemical evolution.
Investigate the chemical processes occurring on interstellar dust grains coated with aromatics and H2O ices.
Study the nature of ammonia-water ice species present on Charon and other icy bodies.
Selected Publications
“Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with straight edges and the 7.6/6.2 and 8.6/6.2 intensity ratios in reflection nebulae”, A. Ricca, C. W. Bauschlicher, J. E. Roser, E. Peeters, ApJ (2018) 854, 40.
“The NASA Ames PAH IR spectroscopic database: computational version 3.00 with updated content and the introduction of multiple scaling factors”, C. W. Bauschlicher, A. Ricca, C. Boersma et al., ApJS (2018) 234, 32.
“The PAH emission characteristics of the reflection nebula NGC 2013”, E. Peeters, C. W. Bauschlicher, L. J. Allamandola, A. G. G. M. Tielens, A. Ricca, M. Wolfire, ApJ (2017) 836, 198.
“Photochemistry of coronene in cosmic water ice analogs at different concentrations”, A. de Barros, A. L. Mattioda, A. Ricca, G. A. Cruz-Diaz, L. J. Allamandola, ApJ (2017) 848, 112.
“Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon clusters as sources of interstellar infrared emission”, J. E. Roser & A. Ricca, ApJ (2015) 801, 108.
“The structure, origin, and evolution of interstellar hydrocarbon grains”, J. E. Chiar, A. G. G. M. Tielens, A. J. Adamson, A. Ricca, ApJ (2013), 770, 78.
“The infrared spectroscopy of compact polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing up to 384 carbons”, A. Ricca, C. W. Bauschlicher, C. Boersma, A. G. G. M. Tielens and L. J. Allamandola, ApJ (2012), 754, 75.
Accepted Proposals
Program Name: PAH infrared spectroscopy in the JWST era
Sponsoring agency: Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), NASA Astrophysics Research and Analysis
Program Name: Ammonia on Charon: A laboratory study of ammonia hydrates in support of New Horizons observations
Sponsoring agency: Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), NASA Solar System Workings
NASA Missions
SOFIA, JWST, New Horizons
Awards & Others
1997. Feynmann Prize for Theoretical Molecular Nanotechnology
1999. ELORET Thermosciences Institute Outstanding Achievement Award
2000. ELORET Superior Achievement Award
2002. ELORET Superior Achievement Award