World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
61
Citations
15621
World Ranking
1770
National Ranking
188

Ian Main 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 Ian Main 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: 301 publications — 85th percentile

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

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

Ian Main 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 Ian Main 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: 61 D-Index — 78th percentile

78% 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

  • 2009 - Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Overview

Ian Main is affiliated with the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom and has contributed extensively to research in Earth and Planetary Sciences as well as Computer Science. Their work focuses primarily on geophysics and the application of artificial intelligence within this field.

Their research spans multiple subfields including geophysics, artificial intelligence, mechanics of materials, management, monitoring, policy and law, and global and planetary change. Main's main topics of study encompass earthquake and tectonic studies, seismology and earthquake studies, geochemistry and geologic mapping, seismic imaging and inversion techniques, rock mechanics and modeling, earthquake detection and analysis, and high-pressure geophysics and materials.

Main has published frequently in various scientific venues, with leading contributions appearing in:

  • Geophysical Journal International
  • Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
  • Research Square
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
  • Nature Communications

Selected recent papers authored or coauthored by Ian Main include:

  • Catastrophic Failure: How and When? Insights From 4-D In Situ X-ray Microtomography, 2020, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth
  • Seismic events miss important kinematically governed grain scale mechanisms during shear failure of porous rock, 2022, Nature Communications
  • Biases in estimating b-values from small earthquake catalogues: how high are high b-values?, 2022, Geophysical Journal International
  • Pseudo-prospective testing of 5-year earthquake forecasts for California using inlabru, 2022, Natural hazards and earth system sciences
  • Data-Driven Optimization of Seismicity Models Using Diverse Data Sets: Generation, Evaluation, and Ranking Using Inlabru, 2020, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth

Main frequently collaborates with a core group of researchers, including Mark Naylor, Alexis Cartwright-Taylor, Ian B. Butler, Florian Fußeis, and Andrew Curtis. These collaborations have contributed to a consistent body of work primarily focused on seismology and geophysics.

In recognition of their contributions, Ian Main was awarded the title of Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2009.

Best Publications

  • Scaling of fracture systems in geological media

    E. Bonnet;O. Bour;N. E. Odling;P. Davy

  • EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts

    Andy Bell;Ian Main;Malcolm Atkinson;Rosa Filgueira Vicente

  • Assessing Damage of Reinforced Concrete Beam using b -value Analysis of Acoustic Emission Signals

    Ing. S. Colombo;I. G. Main;M. C. Forde

  • Statistical physics, seismogenesis, and seismic hazard

    Ian Main

  • OPERATIONAL EARTHQUAKE FORECASTING. State of Knowledge and Guidelines for Utilization

    Thomas H. Jordan;Yun-Tai Chen;Paolo Gasparini;Raul Madariaga

  • Time-dependent brittle creep in Darley Dale sandstone

    M. J. Heap;P. Baud;P. G. Meredith;Andrew Bell

  • Role of pore fluids in the generation of seismic precursors to shear fracture

    P. R. Sammonds;P. G. Meredith;I. G. Main

  • Brittle creep in basalt and its application to time-dependent volcano deformation

    Michael Heap;Michael Heap;Patrick Baud;Philip Meredith;Sergio Vinciguerra

  • A reinterpretation of the precursory seismic b-value anomaly from fracture mechanics

    Ian G. Main;Philip G. Meredith;Colin Jones

  • A damage mechanics model for power-law creep and earthquake aftershock and foreshock sequences

    Ian G. Main

  • Sequential growth of deformation bands in the laboratory

    Karen Mair;Ian Main;Stephen Elphick

  • TEMPORAL VARIATIONS IN SEISMICITY DURING QUASI-STATIC AND DYNAMIC ROCK FAILURE

    Philip G. Meredith;Ian G. Main;Colin Jones

  • Non-universal scaling of fracture length and opening displacement

    Christine Hatton;Ian Main;P. G. Meredith

  • APPLICABILITY OF TIME-TO-FAILURE ANALYSIS TO ACCELERATED STRAIN BEFORE EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

    Ian G. Main

  • Comparison of polarity and moment tensor inversion methods for source analysis of acoustic emission data

    Caroline C. Graham;Sergei Stanchits;Ian G. Main;Georg Dresen

  • Information theory and the earthquake frequency-magnitude distribution

    Ian G. Main;Paul W. Burton

  • EARTHQUAKES AS CRITICAL PHENOMENA - IMPLICATIONS FOR PROBABILISTIC SEISMIC HAZARD ANALYSIS

    Ian G. Main

  • Numerical simulation of wave propagation in media with discrete distributions of fractures: effects of fracture sizes and spatial distributions

    S. Vlastos;S. Vlastos;E. Liu;I. G. Main;X.-Y. Li

  • Origin and Nonuniversality of the Earthquake Interevent Time Distribution

    Sarah Touati;Mark Naylor;Ian G. Main

  • Apparent Breaks in Scaling in the Earthquake Cumulative Frequency-Magnitude Distribution: Fact or Artifact?

    Ian Main

  • Geophysical Research Abstracts

    Malcolm Atkinson;Andrew Bell;Andrew Curtis;Elizabeth Entwistle

  • Earthquake Hazard Analysis: Issues and insights

    Ian Main

Frequent Co-Authors

Philip G. Meredith
Philip G. Meredith University College London
Michael J. Heap
Michael J. Heap University of Strasbourg
Xiang-Yang Li
Xiang-Yang Li China University of Petroleum, Beijing
Enru Liu
Enru Liu ExxonMobil (United States)
Peter Sammonds
Peter Sammonds University College London
Malcolm Atkinson
Malcolm Atkinson University of Edinburgh
Patience A. Cowie
Patience A. Cowie University of Bergen
Patrick Baud
Patrick Baud University of Strasbourg
Andrew Curtis
Andrew Curtis University of Edinburgh
Ling Li
Ling Li University of Queensland

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