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William Langer's Picture
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory
M/S 183-335
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
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William Langer
Section Manager

Dr. William D. Langer received his Ph.D. in Physics from Yale University. Upon leaving Yale, he was a Postdoctoral Associate at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, and then at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen, where he worked in nuclear astrophysics. Following these positions Dr. Langer spent several years teaching and doing research in academia. Originally a theorist, he broadened his experience to work in observational radio astronomy at AT&T's Bell Laboratories, where he was a visiting astronomer. He came to JPL in 1991 from Princeton University's Plasma Physics Lab.

Over the years his research interests have spanned a wide range of theoretical and observational studies including neutron stars, solid state physics, plasma physics of fusion devices, Galactic structure, the formation of stars, and the chemical evolution of stars and planetary disks. Before becoming Manager of the Science Division, he was the Lead Scientist for Astrophysics and later the Project Scientist for the Herschel Space Observatory. Dr. Langer has over thirty years experience in astrophysics and is author, or co-author, of over 120 research papers, numerous invited review papers, a book, and has edited conference proceedings.

Education
  • B.S., Physics, New York University (1964)
  • M.S., Physics, Yale University (1965)
  • Ph.D., Physics, Yale University (1968)
Research Interests
  • Thermal, chemical, and structural properties of protostellar cores and protoplanetary disks
  • Star formation
  • Properties of the interstellar medium
  • Combining modeling and observational work to understand the origins of stars and planets
Available Postdoc Position

Interstellar Medium, Molecular Clouds, Cloud Cores, and Star Formation
Candidates are invited to apply for one or more postdoctoral positions in astrophysics research related to the upcoming Hershel Space Observatory mission. These positions will involve carrying out observations and developing models and software tools for analysis and interpretation of data on interstellar medium, molecular clouds, cloud cores, and star formation. In particular this work will be preparation for data coming from the Herschel Space Observatory, currently scheduled for launch at the end of 2008. Scientists at JPL have a major involvement in this mission and have guaranteed observing time (GT) and include two PIs for Herschel Open Time Key Projects (OTKP). One OTKP, led by Dr. Paul Goldsmith, targets interstellar oxygen chemistry, and the other, led by Dr. William Langer, studies the state of the Galactic diffuse ISM. In preparing for and exploiting data from Herschel, a variety of auxiliary observations will be critical, including submillimeter spectral line and continuum data obtained using facilities including the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, to which JPL staff have access, the CARMA interferometric array, and other telescopes. The individual(s) in these positions will be expected to carry out his/her program of research and to collaborate with other staff members in observations leading to and complementary to Herschel, as well as participating in activities associated with the Herschel GT and OTKP. Candidates should have experience in some combination of the following, mm/submm observations, data reduction, and modeling of physics, chemistry, excitation, and radiative transfer in the interstellar medium. Experience developing software is highly desirable. Paul Goldsmith, Senior Research Scientist in JPL’s Astrophysics and Space Sciences Directorate, or William Langer, Senior Research Scientist in JPL's Engineering and Science Directorate, will serve as JPL postdoctoral advisor to the selected candidate(s). The appointee will be guided by the JPL postdoctoral advisor to ensure that the research work will result in publications in the open literature.

Projects

Herschel Icon Herschel
The Herschel Space Observatory is a space-based telescope that will study the Universe by the light of the far-infrared and submillimeter portions of the spectrum.

Professional Experience
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1991-Present)
    • Deputy Director for Reseach, Engineering and Science Directorate (2006-present)
    • Manager, Science Division (2001-2006)
    • Senior Research Scientist (1997-Present)
    • Director of the Long Wavelength Astrophysics Center (2000-2002)
    • Project Scientist Herschel Space Observatory (1997-2001)
    • Lead Scientist Astrophysics (1997-2000)
    • Supervisor of the Radio and Submillimeter Astronomy Group (1992-1996)
  • Research Scientist, Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University (1980-1991)
  • Associate Professor Physics and Astronomy, University of Massachusetts (1978-1980)
  • Assistant Professor Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania (1976-1978)
  • Research Assistant Professor of Physics, New York University (1971-1976)
  • NATO-NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen (1970-1971)
  • NRC-Resident Research Associate, NASA"s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NY (1968-1970)
Selected Publications
Books and Proceedings
  1. R. K. Janev, W. D. Langer, K. Evans, Jr. and D. E. Post, "Elementary Processes in Hydrogen - Helium Plasmas: Cross Sections and Reaction Rate Coefficients," Springer Series on Atoms + Plasmas (1987); (Springer-Verlag: Heidelberg).
  2. W. D. Langer and T. Phillips, Eds., "Herschel  A Vision of the Cool Universe," Proceedings of a workshop held in San Diego in Feb. 2001, published in 2002.
Publications
  1. W. D. Langer & A. G. W. Cameron, "Effects of Hyperons on the Vibrations of Neutron Stars," Astrophysics and Space Science, 5, 213, 1969.
  2. W. D. Langer & L. Rosen, "Hyperonic Equation of State," Astrophysics and Space Science, 6, 217, 1970.
  3. A. E. Glassgold & W. D. Langer, "Cosmic Ray Heating and Cooling of Dense Clouds," Astrophysical J., Letters, 179, 147, 1973.
  4. F. Iachello, W. D. Langer, & A. Lande, "A Quark-Like Model of High Density Matter," Nuclear Physics, A219, 612, 1974.
  5. W. D. Langer, "The Carbon Monoxide Abundance in Interstellar Clouds," Astrophysical J., 210, 328, 1976.
  6. P. F. Goldsmith & W. D. Langer, "Molecular Cooling and Thermal Balance of Dense Interstellar Clouds," Astrophysical J., 222, 881, 1978.
  7. W. D. Langer, "The Stability of Interstellar Clouds in the Presence of Magnetic Fields," Astrophysical J., 225, 95, 1978.
  8. W. D. Langer, M. A. Frerking, R. A. Linke, & R. W. Wilson, "Detection of Deuterated Formaldehyde in Interstellar Clouds," Astrophysical J. Letters, 239, 125, 1980.
  9. T. E. Graedel, W. D. Langer, & M. A. Frerking, "The Kinetic Chemistry of Dense Interstellar Clouds," Astrophysical J., Supplements, 48, 321, 1982.
  10. M. A. Frerking, W. D. Langer, & R. W. Wilson, "Structure and Dynamics of the Bok Globule B335," Icarus, 61, 22, 1985.
  11. W. D. Langer, R. W. Wilson, P. F. Goldsmith, & C. A. Beichman, "Dust and Gas Emission in Barnard 5," Astrophysical J., 337, 355, 1989.
  12. W. D. Langer & A. A. Penzias, "12C/13C Isotope Ratio In The Local Interstellar Medium from Observations of 13C18O in Molecular Clouds," Astrophysical J., 408, 539, 1993.
  13. W. D. Langer, R. W. Wilson, & C. H. Anderson, "Hierarchical Structure Analysis of Interstellar Clouds Using Non-Orthogonal Wavelets," Astrophysical J., Letters, 408, 45, 1993.
  14. W. D. Langer, T. Velusamy & T. Xie, "The IRS 1 Circumstellar Disk, and the Origin of the Jet and Outflow in B5," Astrophysical J., Letters 468, 41, 1996.
  15. E. A. Bergin, & W. D. Langer, "Chemical Evolution in Pre-Protostellar and Protostellar Cores," Astrophysical J., 486, 316, 1997.
  16. P. F. Goldsmith, W. D. Langer, & T. Velusamy, "Detection of Methanol in a Class 0 Protostellar Disks," Astrophysical J., Letters, 519, 173, 1999.
  17. K. Willacy & W. D. Langer, "The Importance of Photoprocessing in Protoplanetary Disks," Astrophysical J., 544, 903, 2000.
  18. S. M. Levin, W. D. Langer, T. Velusamy, T. B. H. Kuiper, & R. M. Crutcher, "Measuring the Magnetic Field Strength in L1498 with Zeeman Splitting Observations of CCS," Astrophysical J., 555, 850, 2001
  19. J. Dickens, W. D. Langer, & T. Velusamy, "Small Scale Abundance Variations in TMC1: Dynamics and Hydrocarbon Chemistry," Astrophysical J., 558, 793, 2001.
  20. T. Velusamy, W. D. Langer, & P. F. Goldsmith, "Tracing the Infall and Accretion Shock in the Protostellar Disk: L1157," Astrophysical J. Letters, 565, 43, 2001.
  21. K. Willacy, W. D. Langer, & M. Allen, M., "HI A Chemical Tracer of Turbulent Diffusion In Molecular Clouds," Astrophysical J. Letters, 573, 119, 2002.
  22. P. Padoan, L. Cambresy, & W. D. Langer, "Structure Function Scaling of a 2MASS Extinction Map of Taurus," Astrophysical J. Letters, 580, 57, 2002.
  23. P. Padoan, S. Boldyrev, W. D. Langer, & A. Nordlund, "Structure Function Scaling in the Taurus and Perseus Molecular Cloud Complexes," Astrophysical J., 583, 308, 2003.
  24. Shih-Ping Lai, T. Velusamy, & W. D. Langer, "The High Angular Resolution Measurement of Ion and Neutral Spectra as a Probe of The Magnetic Field Structure in DR21(OH)," Astrophysical J., Letters, 596, 239, 2003.
  25. P. Padoan, K. Willacy, W. D. Langer, & M. Juvela, "Electron Abundance in Protostellar Cores," Astrophysical J., in press, 2004.

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