World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
75
Citations
25218
World Ranking
696
National Ranking
335

Byron D Tapley 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 Byron D Tapley 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: 556 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: 291 publications — 85th percentile

85% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

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

Byron D Tapley 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 Byron D Tapley 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: 181 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: 75 D-Index — 93rd percentile

93% 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

  • 2018 - NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal
  • 1987 - Member of the National Academy of Engineering For exceptional contributions to orbit determination theory, significant applications to satellite geodesy and oceanography, and leadership in engineering education.
  • 1984 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  • 1968 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Overview

Byron D Tapley is affiliated with The University of Texas at Austin in the United States. Their research spans multiple disciplines, primarily within Earth and Planetary Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Engineering. The scientist has contributed notably to subfields such as Oceanography, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Aerospace Engineering, Molecular Biology, and Geophysics.

Their primary research topics include Geophysics and Gravity Measurements, GNSS positioning and interference, Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics, Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics, Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies, Geophysical and Geoelectrical Methods, and Cryospheric studies and observations.

Byron D Tapley has published research in a range of academic venues, with frequent appearances in:

  • Geophysical Research Letters
  • Journal of Geodesy
  • Water Resources Research
  • Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
  • Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets

Their recent published papers include:

  • Global Ocean Mass Change From GRACE and GRACE Follow-On and Altimeter and Argo Measurements, 2020, Geophysical Research Letters
  • Basin-Scale River Runoff Estimation From GRACE Gravity Satellites, Climate Models, and In Situ Observations: A Case Study in the Amazon Basin, 2020, Water Resources Research
  • Error Assessment of GRACE and GRACE Follow-On Mass Change, 2021, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
  • Rapid Mass Loss in West Antarctica Revealed by Swarm Gravimetry in the Absence of GRACE, 2021, Geophysical Research Letters
  • Assessment of degree-2 order-1 gravitational changes from GRACE and GRACE Follow-on, Earth rotation, satellite laser ranging, and models, 2021, Journal of Geodesy

Frequent collaborators include Jianli Chen, Clark R. Wilson, Ki-Weon Seo, Himanshu Save, and J. Encarnação. Tapley's coauthorship with Jianli Chen is notable with multiple joint publications.

The scientist has received several awards recognizing their contributions to the field, including:

  • NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, 2018
  • Member of the National Academy of Engineering, 1987, for exceptional contributions to orbit determination theory, satellite geodesy and oceanography, and leadership in engineering education
  • Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU), 1984
  • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 1968

Best Publications

  • The gravity recovery and climate experiment: Mission overview and early results

    Byron D Tapley;Srinivas V Bettadpur;M. Watkins;C. Reigber

  • GRACE measurements of mass variability in the Earth system.

    Byron D. Tapley;Srinivas Bettadpur;John C. Ries;Paul F. Thompson

  • High-resolution CSR GRACE RL05 mascons

    Himanshu Save;Srinivas Bettadpur;Byron D. Tapley

  • Contributions of GRACE to understanding climate change.

    Byron D. Tapley;Michael M. Watkins;Frank Flechtner;Christoph Reigber

  • GGM02 - An Improved Earth Gravity Field Model from GRACE

    B. D. Tapley;J. C. Ries;S. Bettadpur;Don P. Chambers

  • Variations in the Earth's oblateness during the past 28 years

    Minkang Cheng;Byron D. Tapley

  • Satellite Gravity Measurements Confirm Accelerated Melting of Greenland Ice Sheet

    J. L. Chen;C. R. Wilson;B. D. Tapley

  • The Joint Gravity Model 3

    B. D. Tapley;M. M. Watkins;M. M. Watkins;J. C. Ries;G. W. Davis;G. W. Davis

  • Deceleration in the Earth's oblateness

    Minkang Cheng;Byron D. Tapley;John C. Ries

  • Secular variation of earth's gravitational harmonic J2 coefficient from Lageos and nontidal acceleration of earth rotation

    C. F. Yoder;J. G. Williams;J. O. Dickey;Bob E Schutz

  • Accelerated Antarctic ice loss from satellite gravity measurements

    Jianli Chen;Clark R Wilson;Donald D Blankenship;Byron D Tapley

  • Precision orbit determination for TOPEX/POSEIDON

    B. D. Tapley;J. C. Ries;G. W. Davis;R. J. Eanes

  • The 2009 exceptional Amazon flood and interannual terrestrial water storage change observed by GRACE

    Jianli Chen;Clark R Wilson;Byron D Tapley

  • 2005 drought event in the Amazon River basin as measured by GRACE and estimated by climate models

    Jianli Chen;Clark R Wilson;Byron D Tapley;Zong-Liang Yang

  • Anomalous warming in the Indian Ocean coincident with El Niño

    D. P. Chambers;Byron D Tapley;R. H. Stewart

  • GRACE detects coseismic and postseismic deformation from the Sumatra‐Andaman earthquake

    J. L. Chen;C. R. Wilson;B. D. Tapley;S. Grand

  • Variations of the Earth's figure axis from satellite laser ranging and GRACE

    Minkang Cheng;John C. Ries;Byron D. Tapley

  • Gravity model development for TOPEX/POSEIDON: Joint gravity models 1 and 2

    R. S. Nerem;F. J. Lerch;J. A. Marshall;E. C. Pavlis

  • Altimetry for the future: building on 25 years of progress

    Saleh Abdalla;Abdolnabi Abdeh Kolahchi;Michaël Ablain;Susheel Adusumilli

  • Contribution of ice sheet and mountain glacier melt to recent sea level rise

    Jianli Chen;Clark R Wilson;Byron D Tapley

  • Earth radiation pressure effects on satellites

    P. C. Knocke;J. C. Ries;B. D. Tapley

Frequent Co-Authors

John C Ries
John C Ries The University of Texas at Austin
C. K. Shum
C. K. Shum The Ohio State University
Jianli Chen
Jianli Chen Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Clark R. Wilson
Clark R. Wilson The University of Texas at Austin
Michael M. Watkins
Michael M. Watkins California Institute of Technology
Don P. Chambers
Don P. Chambers University of South Florida St. Petersburg
R. S. Nerem
R. S. Nerem University of Colorado Boulder
F. Flechtner
F. Flechtner Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
Christoph Reigber
Christoph Reigber Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
Torsten Schmidt
Torsten Schmidt Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences

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