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Mike Ressler

Photo of Mike Ressler

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 5/1/1979

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

818.354.5576

Fax:

818.393.0994

Member of:

Interstellar and Heliospheric Physics

MIRI (JWST) Project Scientist

Education

  • S. B., Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1986)
  • M. S., Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa (1988)
  • Ph. D., Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa (1992)

Professional Experience

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1992-Present)

  • Project Scientist, Near-Earth Object Surveyor (2020-Present)
  • Project Scientist, JWST Mid-Infrared Instrument (2003-Present)
  • Principal Scientist, Interstellar Medium Group (2005-Present)
  • Research Scientist, Astrophysics Research Element (1998-2005)
  • Scientist, Astrophysics Research Element (1994-1998)
  • National Research Council Research Associate (1992-1994)

Research Interests

  • Binary/multiple protostar systems. Focus has been on "infrared companion" systems where the companions appear to be in a different evolutionary class from the primary; such systems provide strong tests of star formation models by constraining theoretical pre-main-sequence evolutionary tracks.
  • Initial Mass Functions of star forming clouds. Attempt to derive luminosities of stars in star forming clouds through near- and mid-infrared measurements to estimate the distribution of the masses of young stars without "contamination" by multiplicity. This is another key test of star formation theory.
  • Infrared astronomical instrumentation. Projects have included cameras, spectrometers, and polarimeters over the 1 - 30 micron wavelength range for large ground-based and space-based observatories. Additional focus on the detector arrays at the heart of these systems.

Selected Awards

  • NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal (2024)
  • NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal (2013)
  • Robert H. Goddard Award for Exceptional Achievement for Science (2013)
  • NASA Group Achievement Award WISE Project Science Team (2011)
  • JPL Lew Allen Award for Excellence (1998)

Selected Publications

  1. Ressler M. E., Aller A., Jones, D., et al. 2025, "JWST/MIRI Study of the Enigmatic Mid-Infrared Rings in the Planetary Nebula NGC 1514", AJ, in press
  2. Barsony M., Ressler M. E., Le Gouellec V. J. M., et al. 2024, "Resolving Twin Jets and Twin Disks with JWST and ALMA: The Young WL 20 Multiple System", ApJ, 973, 42
  3. Izumi N., Ressler M. E., Lau R. M., et al. 2024, "Overview Results of JWST Observations of Star-forming Clusters in the Extreme Outer Galaxy", AJ, 168, 68
  4. Van Gelder M. L., Ressler M. E., van Dishoeck E. F., et al. 2024, "JOYS+: Mid-infrared detection of gas-phase SO2 emission in a low-mass protostar. The case of NGC 1333 IRAS 2A: Hot core or accretion shock?", A&A, 682, A78
  5. Ressler M. E., Sukhatme K. G., Franklin B. R., et al. 2015, "The Mid-Infrared Instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope, VIII: The MIRI Focal Plane System", PASP, 127, 675
  6. Rieke G. H., Ressler M. E., Morrison J. E., et al. 2015, "The Mid-Infrared Instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope, VII: The MIRI Detectors", PASP, 127, 665
  7. Ressler M. E., Cohen M., Wachter S., et al. 2010, "The Discovery of Infrared Rings in the Planetary Nebula NGC 1514 During the WISE All-sky Survey", AJ, 140, 1882
  8. Barsony M., Ressler M. E., Marsh K. A. 2005, "A Mid-Infrared Imaging Survey of Embedded Young Stellar Objects in the ρ Ophiuchi Cloud Core", ApJ, 630, 381
  9. Rauscher B. J., Ressler M. E. 2005, "The James Webb Space Telescope and its Infrared Detectors", ExA, 19, 149
  10. Ressler M. E., Barsony M. 2003, "Structure of the Mid-Infrared-emitting Disk around WL 16", ApJ, 584, 832
  11. Ressler M. E., Bock J. J., Bandara S. V., et al. 2001, "Astronomical imaging with quantum well infrared photodetectors", InPhT, 42, 377
  12. Ressler M. E., Barsony M. 2001, "A Luminous Infrared Companion in the Young Triple System WL 20", AJ, 121, 1098
  13. Koerner D. W., Ressler M. E., Werner M. W., Backman D. E. 1998, "Mid-Infrared Imaging of a Circumstellar Disk around HR 4796: Mapping the Debris of Planetary Formation", ApJL, 503, L83
  14. Ressler M. E., Werner M. W., Van Cleve J., Chou H. A. 1994, "The JPL deep-well mid-infrared array camera", ExA, 3, 277
  15. Ressler M. E., Shure M. 1991, "Two protostar candidates in the bright-rimmed dark cloud LDN 1206.", AJ, 102, 1398
  16. Ressler, M. E., Cohen, M., Wachter, S., Hoard, D. W., Mainzer, A. K., Wright, E. L. 2010, "The Discovery of Infrared Rings in the Planetary Nebula NGC 1514 During the WISE All-sky Survey," AJ, 140, 1882.
  17. Barsony, M., Ressler, M. E., and Marsh, K. A. 2005, "A Mid-Infrared Imaging Survey of Embedded Young Stellar Objects in the rho Ophiuchi Cloud Core," ApJ, 630, 381.
  18. Ressler, M. E. and Barsony, M. 2003, "Structure of the Mid-Infrared-Emitting Disk Around WL 16," ApJ, 584, 832.
  19. Haisch, K. E., Jr., Barsony, M., Greene, T. P., and Ressler, M. E. 2002, "An Infrared Multiplicity Survey of Class I/Flat-Spectrum Systems in the rho Ophiuchi and Serpens Molecular Clouds," AJ, 124, 2841.
  20. Ressler, M. E. and Barsony, M. 2001, "A Luminous Infrared Companion in the Young Triple System WL 20," AJ, 121, 1098.
  21. Koerner, D.W., Ressler, M. E., Werner, M.W., and Backman, D. E. 1998, "Mid-Infrared Imaging of a Circumstellar Disk Around HR 4796: Mapping the Debris of Planetary Formation," ApJL, 503, 83L.
  22. Ressler, M. E., Werner, M. W., Van Cleve, J., and Chou, H. A. 1994, "The JPL Deep-Well Mid-Infrared Array Camera," Experimental Astronomy, 3, 277.
  23. Ressler, M. E. and Shure, M. 1991, "Two Protostar Candidates in the Bright-Rimmed Dark Cloud LDN 1206," AJ, 102, 1398.

Projects

JWST - James Webb Space Telescope
NEO Surveyor