World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
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Earth Science
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
154
Citations
90663
World Ranking
1
National Ranking
1

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Earth Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Earth Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Earth Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2015 - Penrose Medal, The Geological Society of America
  • 2006 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 1997 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  • 1993 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Overview

James W. Head is affiliated with Brown University in the United States. Their research spans a broad range of topics primarily within the fields of physics and astronomy, with a focus on planetary science and related subfields.

Their main fields of study include:

  • Physics and Astronomy

Within these fields, the subfields of study covered by their work are:

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Atmospheric Science
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Geophysics
  • Physiology

James W. Head's primary research topics highlight specific interests in:

  • Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Astro and Planetary Science
  • Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
  • Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
  • Space Exploration and Technology
  • Geological and Geochemical Analysis
  • Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies

The scientist has published extensively, with frequent publication venues including:

  • Icarus
  • Journal of Geophysical Research Planets
  • The Planetary Science Journal
  • Geophysical Research Letters
  • Planetary and Space Science

Among their recent papers are:

  • "Age and composition of young basalts on the Moon, measured from samples returned by Chang'e-5" (2021, Science)
  • "China's Chang'e-5 landing site: Geology, stratigraphy, and provenance of materials" (2021, Earth and Planetary Science Letters)
  • "Young lunar mare basalts in the Chang'e-5 sample return region, northern Oceanus Procellarum" (2020, Earth and Planetary Science Letters)
  • "A coupled model of episodic warming, oxidation and geochemical transitions on early Mars" (2021, Nature Geoscience)
  • "Landing site of the Chang'e-6 lunar farside sample return mission from the Apollo basin" (2023, Nature Astronomy)

Frequent collaborators in their research include:

  • Yuqi Qian
  • Lionel Wilson
  • Long Xiao
  • H. Hiesinger
  • C. H. van der Bogert

James W. Head has received several awards recognizing their contributions, including:

  • Penrose Medal, The Geological Society of America (2015)
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2006)
  • Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU) (1997)
  • Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (1993)

Best Publications

  • Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Experiment summary after the first year of global mapping of Mars

    David E. Smith;Maria T. Zuber;Herbert V. Frey;James B. Garvin

  • The Global Topography of Mars and Implications for Surface Evolution

    David E. Smith;Maria T. Zuber;Maria T. Zuber;Sean C. Solomon;Roger J. Phillips

  • Character and Spatial Distribution of OH/H2O on the Surface of the Moon Seen by M3 on Chandrayaan-1

    C. M. Pieters;J. N. Goswami;J. N. Goswami;R. N. Clark;M. Annadurai

  • Ascent and eruption of basaltic magma on the earth and moon

    Lionel Wilson;James W. Head

  • Recent ice ages on Mars

    James W. Head;John F. Mustard;Mikhail A. Kreslavsky;Ralph E. Milliken

  • Geologic history of Mars

    Michael H. Carr;James W. Head

  • Evidence for a subsurface ocean on Europa

    Michael H. Carr;Michael J. S. Belton;Clark R. Chapman;Merton E. Davies

  • Internal Structure and Early Thermal Evolution of Mars from Mars Global Surveyor Topography and Gravity

    Maria T. Zuber;Maria T. Zuber;Sean C. Solomon;Roger J. Phillips;David E. Smith

  • The Mars Observer laser altimeter investigation

    M. T. Zuber;D. E. Smith;S. C. Solomon;D. O. Muhleman

  • Initial observations from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA)

    David Edmund Smith;David Edmund Smith;Maria Zuber;Gregory A. Neumann;Frank G. Lemoine

  • Europa's Crust and Ocean: Origin, Composition, and the Prospects for Life

    Jeffrey S. Kargel;Jonathan Z. Kaye;James W. Head;Giles M. Marion

  • Venus volcanism: Classification of volcanic features and structures, associations, and global distribution from Magellan data

    James W. Head;L. S. Crumpler;Jayne C. Aubele;John E. Guest

  • Does Europa have a subsurface ocean? Evaluation of the geological evidence

    Robert T. Pappalardo;Michael J.S. Belton;H.H. Breneman;M.H. Carr

  • Lunar mare volcanism: Stratigraphy, eruption conditions, and the evolution of secondary crusts

    James W. Head;Lionel Wilson;Lionel Wilson

  • Radial thickness variation in impact crater ejecta - Implications for lunar basin deposits

    T.R. McGetchin;M. Settle;J.W. Head

  • The timing of martian valley network activity : Constraints from buffered crater counting

    Caleb I. Fassett;James W. Head

  • Possible Ancient Oceans on Mars: Evidence from Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter Data

    James W. Head;Harald Hiesinger;Mikhail A. Ivanov;Mikhail A. Ivanov;Mikhail A. Kreslavsky

  • Recent and episodic volcanic and glacial activity on Mars revealed by the High Resolution Stereo Camera

    G. Neukum;R. Jaumann;H. Hoffmann;E. Hauber

  • Giant radiating dyke swarms on Earth and Venus

    R. E. Ernst;J. W. Head;E. A. Parfitt;E. Grosfils

  • Formation of Glaciers on Mars by Atmospheric Precipitation at High Obliquity

    F. Forget;R.M. Haberle;Franck Montmessin;Benjamin Levrard

Frequent Co-Authors

Sean C. Solomon
Sean C. Solomon Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Lionel Wilson
Lionel Wilson Lancaster University
Robert T. Pappalardo
Robert T. Pappalardo California Institute of Technology
Ronald Greeley
Ronald Greeley Arizona State University
David R. Marchant
David R. Marchant Boston University
Scott L. Murchie
Scott L. Murchie Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Carle M. Pieters
Carle M. Pieters Brown University
Alexander T. Basilevsky
Alexander T. Basilevsky Russian Academy of Sciences
Caleb I. Fassett
Caleb I. Fassett Marshall Space Flight Center

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