M.Sc. Radioastronomy, University of Manchester (1990)
Ph.D. Astrophysics, Universtiy of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (1993)
Professional Experience
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1998-Present)
Research Scientist(2000-Present)
National Research Council Resident Research Associate (1998-1999)
UMIST, Postdoctoral research associate (1995-1998)
University of Edinburgh, Postdoctoral research associate, (1993-1995)
Logica Energy and Industry Systems Ltd, Computer programmer (1988-1989)
Community Service
JPL Astrophysics search committee member
Referee for MNRAS, A&A, and ApJ
Reviewer for NASA ROSES proposals
Research Interests
Links between the composition of comets and protostellar disks
Modeling the atmospheric chemistry of solar system planets and moons (Venus, Mars, Titan, Pluto) and exoplanets
Chemistry of the interstellar medium, including prestellar cores, protoplanetary disks and circumstellar envelopes around late-type stars
Formation and evolution of pre-biotic molecules
Gas/grain interactions in the interstellar medium
Deuterium chemistry
Selected Awards
NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (2021)
NASA Group Achievement Award “Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ Science Team” (2017)
NASA Group Achievement Award SIM Science Office Team (2011)
Selected Publications
Willacy, K., Turner, N., Bonev, B., Gibb, E., Dello Russo, N., DiSanti, M., Vervack, R.J. Jr. & Roth, N. X. (2022) Comets in context: Comparing comet compositions with protosolar nebula models, ApJ, 931, 164 arXiv:2204.07517
Willacy, K., Chen, S., Adams, D. J., & Yung, Y. L. (2022) Vertical distribution of cyclopropenylidene and propadiene in the atmosphere of Titan, ApJ, 933, 230 arXiv:2204.13064
Dash, S., Majumdar, L., Willacy, K., et al. (2022) Linking the atmospheric chemistry of the hot Jupiter HD208458b to its formation location through infrared transmission and emission spectra, ApJ, 932, 20 arXiv:2204.04103
Tritsis, A., Federrath, C. Willacy, K. & Tassis, K. (2022) Non-ideal MHD simulations of subcritical prestellar cores with non-equilibrium chemistry, MNRAS 510 4420
Seo, Y., Majumdar, L., Goldsmith, P., Yancy, S., Willacy, K. et al. (2019) An ammonia spectral map of the L1495-B218 filament in the Taurus molecular cloud. II. CCS and HC7N chemistry and three modes of star formation in filaments, ApJ, 871, 134
Dodson-Robinson, S. E., Evans, N. J., Ramos, A., Yu, M. & Willacy, K. (2018) Ionization-driven depletion and redistribution of CO in protoplanetary disks ApJ, 868, L37
Kleinböhl, A., Willacy, K., Friedson, A. J., Chen, P. & Swain, M. (2018) Buildup of abiotic oxygen and ozone in moist atmospheres in temperature terrestrial exoplanets and its impact on the spectral fingerprint in transit observations, ApJ, 862, 92
Majumdar, L., Gratier, P., Wakelam, V., Caux, E., Willacy, K. & Ressler, M. (2018) Detection of HOCO+in the protostar IRAS 16293-2422, MNRAS, 477, 525
Douglas, K., Blitz, M. A., Feng, W., Heard, D. E., Plane, J. , Slater, E., Willacy, K. & Seakins, P. (2018) Low temperature studies of the removal reactions of1CH2with particular relevance to the atmosphere of Titan, Icarus, 303, 10
Yo, M., Evans, N.J. II, Dodson-Robinson, S.E., Willacy, K. and Turner, N.J. (2017) The effects of protostellar disk turbulence on CO emission lines: A comparison study of disks with constant CO abundance versus chemically evolving disks ApJ, 850 169
Langer W.D., Velusamy, T., Pineda, J. L., Willacy, K. & Goldsmith, P F. (2014) A Herschel [CII] Galactic plane survey II. CO-dark H2in clouds A&A, 561, L122
Yu, M., Evans, N.J. II, Dodson-Robinson, S.E., Willacy, K. & Turner, N. J. (2017) Disk masses around solar-mass stars are underestimated by CO Observations ApJ, 841, 39
Chapman, J. W., Zellem, R. T., Line, M. R., Vasisht, G., Bryden, G., Willacy, K., Iyer, A.R., Bean, J., et al. (2017) Quantifying the Impact of Spectral Coverage on the Retrieval of Molecular Abundances from Exoplanet Transmission Spectra, PASP, 129, 4402
Willacy, K., Allen, M. A., Yung, Y. (2016) A new astrobiological model of the atmosphere of Titan, ApJ, 829, 79
Tritsis, A., Tassis, K. Willacy, K. (2016) Chemistry as a diagnostic of prestellar core geometry, MNRAS, 458, 789
Willacy, K., Alexander, C., Ali-Dib, M., Ceccarelli, C., Charnley, S. B., Doronin, M., Ellinger, Y., Gast, P., Gibb, E., Milam, S. N., Mousis, O., Pauzat, F., Tornow, C., Wirstrom, E. & Zickler, E. (2015) Composition of the protosolar disk and the formation conditions for comets, Space Sci. Rev. 197, 151
Mandt, K., Mousis, O., Marty, B., Cavelie, T., Harris, W., Hartogh, P., Willacy, K. & Gautier, D. (2015) Constraints from comets on the formation and volatile acquisition of the planets and satellites, Space Sci. Rev. 197, 297
Langer, W.D., Velusamy, T., Pineda, J. L., Willacy, K. & Goldsmith, P F. (2014) A Herschel [CII] Galactic plane survey II. CO-dark H2in clouds A&A, 561, L122
Tassis, K., Willacy, K., Yorke, H. W. & Turner, N. J. (2012) Non-equilibrium chemistry of dynamically evolving prestellar cores I. Basic magnetic and non-magnetic models and parameter studies ApJ 753 29
Bell, T. A., Willacy, K., Phillips, T. G. & Allen, A. (2011) The influence of deuteration and turbulence diffusion on the observed D/H ratio, ApJ 731 48
Willacy, K. & Woods, P. (2009) Deuterium chemistry in protoplantary disks. II. The inner disk, ApJ, 703, 479
Dodson-Robinson, S., Willacy, K., Bodenheimer, P., Laughlin, G., Turner, N. & Beichman, C. (2009) Ice lines, planetesimal composition and solid surface density in the solar nebula, Icarus, 200, 672
Maret, S., Bergin, E., Neufeld, D., Green, J., Watson, D., Harwit, M., Kristensen, L., Melnick, G., Sonnentrucker, P., Tolls, V., Werner, M. & Willacy, K. (2009) Spitzer mapping o molecular hydrogen pure rotational lines in NGC 1333, ApJ, 698, 1244
Woods, P. & Willacy, K. (2009) Carbon isotope fractionation in protoplanetary disks ApJ, 693, 1360
Robinson, S., Bodenheimer, P., Laughlin, G., Willacy, K., Turner, N., & Beichman, C. (2008) Saturn forms by core-accretion in 3.37 Myrs, ApJ Letters, 688, L99
Deutsch, M., Abilleira, F., Bell, D., Chodas, J., Harmon, C., Kerridge, S., Kinsey, R., Komarek, T., Lisman, D., Lopez, S., Riedel, E., Willacy, K. & Winterhalter, D. (2008) The Mars Science Orbiter Concept, IEEE conference paper
Willacy, K. (2007) Deuterium chemistry in protoplanetary disks I. Outer disk models ApJ 660 441
Woods, P. & Willacy, K. (2007) Benzene formation in the inner regions of protostellar disks ApJ 655 L49
Willacy, K., Langer, W. D, Allen, M. & Bryden, G. (2006) Chemical effects of turbulent mixing in protoplanetary disks ApJ 644 1202
Willacy, K. (2004) A chemical route to the formation of water in carbon-rich AGB stars – Fischer-Tropsch catalysis, ApJ 600 L87
Willacy, K., Langer, W. D. & Allen, M. A. (2002) HI: A chemical tracer of turbulent diffusion in molecular clouds, ApJ 573 L119
Willacy, K. & Langer, W. D. (2000) The importance of photoprocessing in protoplanetary disks, ApJ 544 903
Willacy, K., Langer, W. D. & Velusamy, T. (1998) Dust emission and molecular depletion in L1498, ApJL 507 L17
Willacy, K. & Millar, T. J. (1998) Desorption processes and the deuterium fractionation in molecular clouds, MNRAS 298 562