World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
James W. Kirchner

James W. Kirchner

Award Badge
Earth Science
Switzerland
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
95
Citations
33497
World Ranking
184
National Ranking
3

James W. Kirchner 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 James W. Kirchner 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: 357 publications — 91st percentile

91% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

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

James W. Kirchner 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 James W. Kirchner 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: 95 D-Index — 98th percentile

98% 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

  • 2026 - Research.com Earth Science in Switzerland Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Earth Science in Switzerland Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Earth Science in Switzerland Leader Award
  • 2008 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  • 1995 - Hellman Fellow

Overview

James W. Kirchner is affiliated with ETH Zurich in Switzerland and is involved primarily in Environmental Science and Earth and Planetary Sciences. Their work spans several subfields, including Global and Planetary Change, Water Science and Technology, Atmospheric Science, Geochemistry and Petrology, and Environmental Engineering.

The scientist's research topics cover a broad range within hydrology and environmental processes. These include:

  • Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
  • Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
  • Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry
  • Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
  • Flood Risk Assessment and Management
  • Groundwater flow and contamination studies
  • Cryospheric studies and observations

James W. Kirchner has published frequently in several academic venues, which include:

  • Hydrology and earth system sciences
  • Geophysical Research Letters
  • Ecohydrology
  • Nature
  • Water Resources Research

Selected recent papers illustrate the thematic focus and timelines of their research:

  • "Rapid groundwater decline and some cases of recovery in aquifers globally," 2024, Nature
  • "Concentration-discharge relationships vary among hydrological events, reflecting differences in event characteristics," 2020, Hydrology and earth system sciences
  • "Toward catchment hydro-biogeochemical theories," 2020, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water
  • "Groundwater level observations in 250,000 coastal US wells reveal scope of potential seawater intrusion," 2020, Nature Communications
  • "Widespread potential loss of streamflow into underlying aquifers across the USA," 2021, Nature

The scientist often collaborates with a consistent group of coauthors, including:

  • Hansjörg Seybold
  • Marius G. Floriancic
  • Scott T. Allen
  • Julia L. A. Knapp
  • Jana von Freyberg

James W. Kirchner has received recognition in the form of notable awards such as:

  • Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2008
  • Hellman Fellow, 1995

Best Publications

  • Getting the right answers for the right reasons: Linking measurements, analyses, and models to advance the science of hydrology

    James W. Kirchner

  • Fractal stream chemistry and its implications for contaminant transport in catchments

    James W. Kirchner;Xiahong Feng;Colin Neal

  • Twenty-three unsolved problems in hydrology (UPH)–a community perspective

    Günter Blöschl;Marc F.P. Bierkens;Antonio Chambel;Christophe Cudennec

  • Catchments as simple dynamical systems: catchment characterization, rainfall-runoff modeling, and doing hydrology backward.

    James W. Kirchner;James W. Kirchner;James W. Kirchner

  • Moving beyond heterogeneity and process complexity: A new vision for watershed hydrology

    J J McDonnell;J J McDonnell;M Sivapalan;K Vache;S Dunn

  • Sediment supply and the development of the coarse surface layer in gravel-bedded rivers

    William E. Dietrich;James W. Kirchner;Hiroshi Ikeda;Fujiko Iseya

  • Concentration–discharge relationships reflect chemostatic characteristics of US catchments

    Sarah E. Godsey;James W. Kirchner;James W. Kirchner;James W. Kirchner;David W. Clow

  • Spatially Averaged Long-Term Erosion Rates Measured from in Situ-Produced Cosmogenic Nuclides in Alluvial Sediment

    Darryl E. Granger;James W. Kirchner;Robert Finkel

  • Evidence for nonlinear, diffusive sediment transport on hillslopes and implications for landscape morphology

    Joshua J. Roering;James W. Kirchner;William E. Dietrich

  • Mountain erosion over 10 yr, 10 k.y., and 10 m.y. time scales

    James W. Kirchner;Robert C. Finkel;Clifford S. Riebe;Darryl E. Granger

  • EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS OF PATHOGEN RESISTANCE AND TOLERANCE

    B. A. Roy;J. W. Kirchner

  • A double paradox in catchment hydrology and geochemistry

    James W. Kirchner

  • Erosional and climatic effects on long-term chemical weathering rates in granitic landscapes spanning diverse climate regimes ☆

    Clifford S. Riebe;James W. Kirchner;Robert C. Finkel;Robert C. Finkel

  • Hillslope Hydrology in Global Change Research and Earth System Modeling

    Ying Fan;M. Clark;D. M. Lawrence;S. Swenson

  • The fine structure of water‐quality dynamics: the (high‐frequency) wave of the future

    James W. Kirchner;Xiahong Feng;Colin Neal;Alice J. Robson

  • The variability of critical shear stress, friction angle, and grain protrusion in water-worked sediments

    James W. Kirchner;William E. Dietrich;Fujiko Iseya;Hiroshi Ikeda

  • Catchment-scale advection and dispersion as a mechanism for fractal scaling in stream tracer concentrations

    James W Kirchner;Xiahong Feng;Colin Neal

  • Strong tectonic and weak climatic control of long-term chemical weathering rates

    Clifford S. Riebe;James W. Kirchner;Darryl E. Granger;Robert C. Finkel

  • Aggregation in environmental systems – Part 1: Seasonal tracer cycles quantify young water fractions, but not mean transit times, in spatially heterogeneous catchments

    J. W. Kirchner

  • Substantial proportion of global streamflow less than three months old

    Scott Jasechko;James W. Kirchner;James W. Kirchner;Jeffrey M. Welker;Jeffrey J. McDonnell;Jeffrey J. McDonnell;Jeffrey J. McDonnell

  • Long-term rates of chemical weathering and physical erosion from cosmogenic nuclides and geochemical mass balance

    Clifford S. Riebe;James W. Kirchner;Robert C. Finkel;Robert C. Finkel

  • How old is streamwater? Open questions in catchment transit time conceptualization, modelling and analysis

    J. J. McDonnell;J. J. McDonnell;K. McGuire;P. Aggarwal;K. J. Beven

Frequent Co-Authors

Robert C. Finkel
Robert C. Finkel Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
William E. Dietrich
William E. Dietrich University of California, Berkeley
Jens M. Turowski
Jens M. Turowski University of Potsdam
Colin Neal
Colin Neal Ford Motor Company (United States)
Dieter Rickenmann
Dieter Rickenmann Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
Jeffrey J. McDonnell
Jeffrey J. McDonnell University of Saskatchewan
Jan Seibert
Jan Seibert University of Zurich
Joshua J. Roering
Joshua J. Roering University of Oregon
Darryl E. Granger
Darryl E. Granger Purdue University West Lafayette
Scott Jasechko
Scott Jasechko University of California, Santa Barbara

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