World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
78
Citations
28353
World Ranking
576
National Ranking
288

David W. Lea 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 David W. Lea sits on this spectrum.

38–42 publications: 1 scientists 43–47 publications: 0 scientists 48–52 publications: 3 scientists 53–57 publications: 8 scientists 58–62 publications: 11 scientists 63–67 publications: 16 scientists 68–72 publications: 24 scientists 73–77 publications: 31 scientists 78–82 publications: 49 scientists 83–87 publications: 77 scientists 88–92 publications: 86 scientists 93–97 publications: 88 scientists 98–102 publications: 92 scientists 103–107 publications: 84 scientists 108–112 publications: 102 scientists 113–117 publications: 108 scientists 118–122 publications: 117 scientists 123–127 publications: 126 scientists 128–132 publications: 146 scientists 133–137 publications: 114 scientists 138–142 publications: 102 scientists 143–147 publications: 127 scientists 148–152 publications: 102 scientists 153–157 publications: 112 scientists 158–162 publications: 102 scientists 163–167 publications: 127 scientists 168–172 publications: 121 scientists 173–177 publications: 112 scientists 178–182 publications: 109 scientists 183–187 publications: 98 scientists 188–192 publications: 92 scientists 193–197 publications: 105 scientists 198–202 publications: 77 scientists 203–207 publications: 80 scientists 208–212 publications: 89 scientists 213–217 publications: 70 scientists 218–222 publications: 74 scientists 223–227 publications: 74 scientists 228–232 publications: 70 scientists 233–237 publications: 67 scientists 238–242 publications: 59 scientists 243–247 publications: 67 scientists 248–252 publications: 51 scientists 253–257 publications: 46 scientists 258–262 publications: 41 scientists 263–267 publications: 39 scientists 268–272 publications: 34 scientists 273–277 publications: 39 scientists 278–282 publications: 35 scientists 283–287 publications: 36 scientists 288–292 publications: 35 scientists 293–297 publications: 29 scientists 298–302 publications: 23 scientists 303–307 publications: 39 scientists 308–312 publications: 34 scientists 313–317 publications: 23 scientists 318–322 publications: 18 scientists 323–327 publications: 18 scientists 328–332 publications: 21 scientists 333–337 publications: 20 scientists 338–342 publications: 15 scientists 343–347 publications: 13 scientists 348–352 publications: 24 scientists 353–357 publications: 25 scientists 358–362 publications: 10 scientists 363–367 publications: 20 scientists 368–372 publications: 17 scientists 373–377 publications: 18 scientists 378–382 publications: 15 scientists 383–387 publications: 7 scientists 388–392 publications: 22 scientists 393–397 publications: 9 scientists 398–402 publications: 11 scientists 403–407 publications: 16 scientists 408–412 publications: 4 scientists 413–417 publications: 5 scientists 418–422 publications: 14 scientists 423–427 publications: 8 scientists 428–432 publications: 7 scientists 433–437 publications: 7 scientists 438–442 publications: 10 scientists 443–447 publications: 10 scientists 448–452 publications: 3 scientists 453–457 publications: 9 scientists 458–462 publications: 11 scientists 463–467 publications: 4 scientists 468–472 publications: 6 scientists 473–477 publications: 11 scientists 478–482 publications: 8 scientists 483–487 publications: 2 scientists 488–492 publications: 3 scientists 493–497 publications: 4 scientists 498–502 publications: 4 scientists 503–507 publications: 4 scientists 508–509 publications: 4 scientists 510+ publications: 100 scientists
38 publications 510+

This scientist: 237 publications — 73rd percentile

73% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 510 publications or more.

David W. Lea 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 David W. Lea sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 15 scientists 31 D-Index: 42 scientists 32 D-Index: 60 scientists 33 D-Index: 90 scientists 34 D-Index: 103 scientists 35 D-Index: 108 scientists 36 D-Index: 142 scientists 37 D-Index: 147 scientists 38 D-Index: 147 scientists 39 D-Index: 152 scientists 40 D-Index: 143 scientists 41 D-Index: 157 scientists 42 D-Index: 141 scientists 43 D-Index: 151 scientists 44 D-Index: 140 scientists 45 D-Index: 135 scientists 46 D-Index: 121 scientists 47 D-Index: 108 scientists 48 D-Index: 128 scientists 49 D-Index: 111 scientists 50 D-Index: 106 scientists 51 D-Index: 112 scientists 52 D-Index: 102 scientists 53 D-Index: 103 scientists 54 D-Index: 94 scientists 55 D-Index: 61 scientists 56 D-Index: 101 scientists 57 D-Index: 71 scientists 58 D-Index: 65 scientists 59 D-Index: 78 scientists 60 D-Index: 93 scientists 61 D-Index: 56 scientists 62 D-Index: 58 scientists 63 D-Index: 52 scientists 64 D-Index: 63 scientists 65 D-Index: 49 scientists 66 D-Index: 53 scientists 67 D-Index: 57 scientists 68 D-Index: 50 scientists 69 D-Index: 44 scientists 70 D-Index: 44 scientists 71 D-Index: 31 scientists 72 D-Index: 33 scientists 73 D-Index: 33 scientists 74 D-Index: 23 scientists 75 D-Index: 32 scientists 76 D-Index: 24 scientists 77 D-Index: 17 scientists 78 D-Index: 19 scientists 79 D-Index: 9 scientists 80 D-Index: 21 scientists 81 D-Index: 20 scientists 82 D-Index: 17 scientists 83 D-Index: 19 scientists 84 D-Index: 19 scientists 85 D-Index: 14 scientists 86 D-Index: 6 scientists 87 D-Index: 14 scientists 88 D-Index: 17 scientists 89 D-Index: 10 scientists 90 D-Index: 8 scientists 91 D-Index: 8 scientists 92 D-Index: 9 scientists 93 D-Index: 6 scientists 94+ D-Index: 98 scientists
30 D-Index 94+

This scientist: 78 D-Index — 93rd percentile

93% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 94 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2013 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  • 2012 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  • 2002 - Fellow of John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

Overview

David W. Lea is affiliated with the University of California, Santa Barbara in the United States. Their research primarily focuses on environmental science, with significant contributions in subfields such as ecology, atmospheric science, ocean engineering, renewable energy, sustainability and the environment, and global and planetary change.

Their work covers a range of main topics including:

  • Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
  • Isotope Analysis in Ecology
  • Global Energy and Sustainability Research
  • Reservoir Engineering and Simulation Methods
  • Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
  • Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
  • Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics

David W. Lea has published research in various venues, including:

  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
  • Nature
  • Nature Energy
  • Boletín GEC
  • Acápite

They have collaborated extensively with several frequent co-authors, namely:

  • Zhimin Jian
  • Yue Wang
  • Haowen Dang
  • Ranjit Deshmukh
  • Paige Weber

Some recent publications by David W. Lea include:

  • "Warm pool ocean heat content regulates ocean-continent moisture transport" (2022, Nature)
  • "Half-precessional cycle of thermocline temperature in the western equatorial Pacific and its bihemispheric dynamics" (2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
  • "Safety and Tolerability of the Potassium Binder Patiromer From a Global Pharmacovigilance Database Collected Over 4 Years Compared with Data from the Clinical Trial Program" (2021, Drugs - Real World Outcomes)
  • "Sodium incorporation in foraminiferal calcite: An evaluation of the Na/Ca salinity proxy and evidence for multiple Na-bearing phases" (2023, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta)
  • "Equitable low-carbon transition pathways for California's oil extraction" (2023, Nature Energy)

In addition to journal articles, David W. Lea has published books, including "A Victim's Shoe, a Broken Watch, and Marbles" in 2024 through Columbia University Press.

The scientist has received recognition in the form of fellowships from notable organizations, including:

  • Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), awarded in 2013
  • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), awarded in 2012
  • Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, awarded in 2002

Best Publications

  • Global temperature change.

    James Hansen;Makiko Sato;Reto Ruedy;Ken Lo

  • Climate Impact of Late Quaternary Equatorial Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Variations

    David W. Lea;Dorothy K. Pak;Howard J. Spero

  • Reevaluation of the oxygen isotopic composition of planktonic foraminifera: Experimental results and revised paleotemperature equations

    Bryan E. Bemis;Howard J. Spero;Jelle Bijma;David W. Lea

  • Effect of seawater carbonate concentration on foraminiferal carbon and oxygen isotopes

    Howard J. Spero;Jelle Bijma;David W. Lea;Bryan E. Bemis

  • Variability in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation Through a Glacial-Interglacial Cycle

    Alexander W. Tudhope;Alexander W. Tudhope;Colin P. Chilcott;Malcolm T. McCulloch;Edward R. Cook

  • Larval retention and recruitment in an island population of a coral-reef fish

    Stephen E. Swearer;Jennifer E. Caselle;David W. Lea;Robert R. Warner

  • Controls on magnesium and strontium uptake in planktonic foraminifera determined by live culturing

    David W. Lea;Tracy A. Mashiotta;Howard J. Spero

  • Climate change and trace gases

    James Hansen;Makiko Sato;Pushker Kharecha;Gary Russell

  • Middle Miocene Southern Ocean cooling and Antarctic cryosphere expansion.

    Amelia E. Shevenell;James P. Kennett;David W. Lea

  • Core top calibration of Mg/Ca in tropical foraminifera: Refining paleotemperature estimation

    Petra S. Dekens;Petra S. Dekens;David W. Lea;Dorothy K. Pak;Howard J. Spero

  • What caused the glacial/interglacial atmospheric pCO2 cycles?

    David Archer;Arne Winguth;David Lea;Natalie Mahowald

  • Synchroneity of tropical and high-latitude Atlantic temperatures over the last glacial termination.

    David W. Lea;Dorothy K. Pak;Larry C. Peterson;Konrad A. Hughen

  • 155,000 Years of West African Monsoon and Ocean Thermal Evolution

    Syee Weldeab;Syee Weldeab;David W. Lea;David W. Lea;Ralph R. Schneider;Ralph R. Schneider;Nils Andersen;Nils Andersen

  • Final closure of Panama and the onset of northern hemisphere glaciation

    G. Bartoli;M. Sarnthein;M. Weinelt;H. Erlenkeuser

  • Effects of seawater carbonate ion concentration and temperature on shell U, Mg, and Sr in cultured planktonic foraminifera

    Ann D. Russell;Bärbel Hönisch;Howard J. Spero;David W. Lea

  • Glacial–interglacial changes in Subantarctic sea surface temperature and δ18O-water using foraminiferal Mg

    Tracy A. Mashiotta;David W. Lea;Howard J. Spero

  • Coralline barium records temporal variability in equatorial Pacific upwelling

    David W. Lea;Glen T. Shen;Edward A. Boyle

  • Reconstructing a 350 ky history of sea level using planktonic Mg/Ca and oxygen isotope records from a Cocos Ridge core

    David W. Lea;Pamela A. Martin;Dorothy K. Pak;Howard J. Spero

  • Reassessing foraminiferal stable isotope geochemistry: Impact of the oceanic carbonate system (experimental results)

    Jelle Bijma;H. J. Spero;D. W. Lea

  • Experimental determination of stable isotope variability in Globigerina bulloides: implications for paleoceanographic reconstructions

    Howard J. Spero;David W. Lea

  • Effect of seawater carbonate concentration on foraminiferal carbon and oxygen isotopes

    H.J. Spero;J. Bijma;D.W. Lea;B.E. Bernis

Frequent Co-Authors

Howard J. Spero
Howard J. Spero University of California, Davis
Jelle Bijma
Jelle Bijma Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Helmut Erlenkeuser
Helmut Erlenkeuser Kiel University
Yair Rosenthal
Yair Rosenthal Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Anton Eisenhauer
Anton Eisenhauer GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Jun Tian
Jun Tian Tongji University
James P. Kennett
James P. Kennett University of California, Santa Barbara
Pinxian Wang
Pinxian Wang Tongji University
Bärbel Hönisch
Bärbel Hönisch Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

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