World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
70
Citations
17953
World Ranking
975
National Ranking
461

Alan D. Howard publication distribution in Earth Science in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Earth Science in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Alan D. Howard sits on this spectrum.

38–47 publications: 5 scientists 48–57 publications: 33 scientists 58–67 publications: 94 scientists 68–77 publications: 161 scientists 78–87 publications: 278 scientists 88–97 publications: 376 scientists 98–107 publications: 404 scientists 108–117 publications: 484 scientists 118–127 publications: 540 scientists 128–137 publications: 557 scientists 138–147 publications: 491 scientists 148–157 publications: 495 scientists 158–167 publications: 458 scientists 168–177 publications: 490 scientists 178–187 publications: 414 scientists 188–197 publications: 401 scientists 198–207 publications: 333 scientists 208–217 publications: 292 scientists 218–227 publications: 290 scientists 228–237 publications: 262 scientists 238–247 publications: 243 scientists 248–257 publications: 208 scientists 258–267 publications: 185 scientists 268–277 publications: 147 scientists 278–287 publications: 128 scientists 288–297 publications: 119 scientists 298–307 publications: 120 scientists 308–317 publications: 107 scientists 318–327 publications: 93 scientists 328–337 publications: 87 scientists 338–347 publications: 64 scientists 348–357 publications: 87 scientists 358–367 publications: 60 scientists 368–377 publications: 60 scientists 378–387 publications: 34 scientists 388–397 publications: 50 scientists 398–407 publications: 44 scientists 408–417 publications: 31 scientists 418–427 publications: 39 scientists 428–437 publications: 27 scientists 438–447 publications: 36 scientists 448–457 publications: 27 scientists 458–467 publications: 29 scientists 468–477 publications: 30 scientists 478–487 publications: 19 scientists 488–497 publications: 15 scientists 498–507 publications: 18 scientists 508–517 publications: 19 scientists 518–527 publications: 16 scientists 528–537 publications: 10 scientists 538–547 publications: 11 scientists 548–557 publications: 14 scientists 558–567 publications: 11 scientists 568–577 publications: 7 scientists 578–587 publications: 14 scientists 588–597 publications: 5 scientists 598–602 publications: 4 scientists 603+ publications: 100 scientists
38 publications 603+

This scientist: 327 publications — 89th percentile

89% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 603 publications or more.

Alan D. Howard D-index placement in Earth Science in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Earth Science scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Alan D. Howard sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 144 scientists 31 D-Index: 215 scientists 32 D-Index: 278 scientists 33 D-Index: 379 scientists 34 D-Index: 366 scientists 35 D-Index: 372 scientists 36 D-Index: 389 scientists 37 D-Index: 366 scientists 38 D-Index: 344 scientists 39 D-Index: 349 scientists 40 D-Index: 296 scientists 41 D-Index: 289 scientists 42 D-Index: 277 scientists 43 D-Index: 279 scientists 44 D-Index: 248 scientists 45 D-Index: 257 scientists 46 D-Index: 212 scientists 47 D-Index: 202 scientists 48 D-Index: 207 scientists 49 D-Index: 204 scientists 50 D-Index: 183 scientists 51 D-Index: 178 scientists 52 D-Index: 182 scientists 53 D-Index: 178 scientists 54 D-Index: 163 scientists 55 D-Index: 117 scientists 56 D-Index: 163 scientists 57 D-Index: 120 scientists 58 D-Index: 113 scientists 59 D-Index: 136 scientists 60 D-Index: 135 scientists 61 D-Index: 96 scientists 62 D-Index: 103 scientists 63 D-Index: 83 scientists 64 D-Index: 103 scientists 65 D-Index: 83 scientists 66 D-Index: 89 scientists 67 D-Index: 92 scientists 68 D-Index: 89 scientists 69 D-Index: 78 scientists 70 D-Index: 75 scientists 71 D-Index: 53 scientists 72 D-Index: 62 scientists 73 D-Index: 54 scientists 74 D-Index: 35 scientists 75 D-Index: 52 scientists 76 D-Index: 50 scientists 77 D-Index: 32 scientists 78 D-Index: 37 scientists 79 D-Index: 20 scientists 80 D-Index: 33 scientists 81 D-Index: 36 scientists 82 D-Index: 34 scientists 83 D-Index: 34 scientists 84 D-Index: 24 scientists 85 D-Index: 19 scientists 86 D-Index: 18 scientists 87 D-Index: 26 scientists 88 D-Index: 30 scientists 89 D-Index: 17 scientists 90 D-Index: 21 scientists 91 D-Index: 19 scientists 92 D-Index: 15 scientists 93 D-Index: 14 scientists 94 D-Index: 20 scientists 95 D-Index: 9 scientists 96 D-Index: 10 scientists 97 D-Index: 15 scientists 98 D-Index: 13 scientists 99 D-Index: 3 scientists 100 D-Index: 13 scientists 101 D-Index: 3 scientists 102 D-Index: 9 scientists 103 D-Index: 4 scientists 104 D-Index: 6 scientists 105 D-Index: 6 scientists 106+ D-Index: 98 scientists
30 D-Index 106+

This scientist: 70 D-Index — 90th percentile

90% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 106 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 1997 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Overview

Alan D. Howard was affiliated with the University of Virginia in the United States. Their research career focused on the intersection of physics, astronomy, and earth and planetary sciences, contributing to a range of subjects within these fields.

The main fields of study in Howard's work included Physics and Astronomy and Earth and Planetary Sciences. Subfields explored were Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Science, Earth-Surface Processes, Soil Science, and Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.

Howard's research topics covered various domains, with a strong emphasis on Planetary Science and Exploration, Geology and Paleoclimatology Research, and Astro and Planetary Science. Other topics included Aeolian processes and effects, Soil erosion and sediment transport, Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils, and Landslides and related hazards.

Several papers published by Howard illustrate the scope and focus of their work:

  • The Global Distribution of Craters With Alluvial Fans and Deltas on Mars, 2021, Geophysical Research Letters
  • Century scale rainfall in the absolute Atacama Desert: Landscape response and implications for past and future rainfall, 2021, Quaternary Science Reviews
  • The global distribution and morphologic characteristics of fan-shaped sedimentary landforms on Mars, 2022, Icarus
  • Responses of nitrogen transformation and dissolved oxygen in constructed wetland to biochar and earthworm amendment, 2020, Environmental Science and Pollution Research
  • Potential Caves: Inventory of Subsurface Access Points on the Surface of Titan, 2022, Journal of Geophysical Research Planets

Frequent publication venues for Howard's work included:

  • Abstracts with programs - Geological Society of America
  • Icarus
  • Geophysical Research Letters
  • Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
  • arXiv (Cornell University)

Howard collaborated regularly with a number of coauthors over the course of their career. Those with the highest frequency of collaboration were:

  • Sharon A. Wilson
  • Alexander M. Morgan
  • O. L. White
  • J. M. Moore
  • W. E. Dietrich

Alan D. Howard was recognized as a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 1997.

Best Publications

  • A detachment-limited model of drainage basin evolution

    Alan D. Howard

  • Channel changes in badlands

    Alan D. Howard;Gordon Kerby

  • Modeling fluvial erosion on regional to continental scales

    Alan D. Howard;William E. Dietrich;Michele A. Seidl

  • The case for rainfall on a warm, wet early Mars

    Robert A. Craddock;Alan D. Howard

  • The Pluto system: Initial results from its exploration by New Horizons.

    S. A. Stern;F. Bagenal;K. Ennico;G. R. Gladstone

  • An Intense Terminal Epoch of Widespread Fluvial Activity on Early Mars: 2. Increased Runoff and Paleolake Development

    Rossman P. Irwin;Alan D. Howard;Robert A. Craddock;Jeffrey M. Moore

  • Sufficient conditions for river meandering: A simulation approach

    Alan D. Howard;Thomas R. Knutson

  • An intense terminal epoch of widespread fluvial activity on early Mars: 1. Valley network incision and associated deposits

    Alan D. Howard;Jeffrey M. Moore;Rossman P. Irwin

  • Geomorphology of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon

    Alan Howard;Robert Dolan

  • Large alluvial fans on Mars

    Jeffrey M. Moore;Alan D. Howard

  • The geology of Pluto and Charon through the eyes of New Horizons.

    Jeffrey M. Moore;William B. McKinnon;John R. Spencer;Alan D. Howard

  • Long Profile Development of Bedrock Channels: Interaction of Weathering, Mass Wasting, Bed Erosion, and Sediment Transport

    Alan D. Howard

  • Thresholds in River Regimes

    Alan D. Howard

  • Can springs cut canyons into rock

    Michael P. Lamb;Alan D. Howard;Joel Johnson;Kelin X. Whipple

  • Erosion of cohesionless sediment by groundwater seepage

    Alan D. Howard;Charles F. McLane

  • Crater morphometry and modification in the Sinus Sabaeus and Margaritifer Sinus regions of Mars

    Robert A. Craddock;Ted A. Maxwell;Alan D. Howard

  • BADLAND MORPHOLOGY AND EVOLUTION: INTERPRETATION USING A SIMULATION MODEL

    Alan D. Howard

  • Theoretical model of optimal drainage networks

    Alan D. Howard

  • Sand transport model of barchan dune equilibrium

    A. D. Howard;J. B. Morton;Mohamed Gad-El-Hak;Deborah B. Pierce

  • Martian Layered Fluvial Deposits: Implications for Noachian Climate Scenarios

    Jeffrey M. Moore;Alan D. Howard;William E. Dietrich;Paul M. Schenk

Frequent Co-Authors

Paul M. Schenk
Paul M. Schenk Lunar and Planetary Institute
Ross A. Beyer
Ross A. Beyer Ames Research Center
Jeffrey M. Moore
Jeffrey M. Moore Ames Research Center
Harold A. Weaver
Harold A. Weaver Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
William B. McKinnon
William B. McKinnon Washington University in St. Louis
Francis Nimmo
Francis Nimmo University of California, Santa Cruz
Tod R. Lauer
Tod R. Lauer National Science Foundation
William E. Dietrich
William E. Dietrich University of California, Berkeley
Dale P. Cruikshank
Dale P. Cruikshank University of Central Florida
John A. Grant
John A. Grant Smithsonian Institution

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Best Scientists Citing Alan D. Howard