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Earth Science

D-Index
62
Citations
13796
World Ranking
1676
National Ranking
739

Overview

Kevin Righter is affiliated with the University of Arizona in the United States. Their research spans several areas within physics and astronomy, as well as earth and planetary sciences, with a particular emphasis on interrelated subfields including astronomy and astrophysics, geophysics, ecology, atmospheric science, and paleontology.

The scientist has published extensively in the domain of astro and planetary science, reflected in a substantial number of works covering planetary science and exploration, isotope analysis in ecology, geological and geochemical analysis, high-pressure geophysics and materials, geology and paleoclimatology research, and paleontology and stratigraphy of fossils.

Kevin Righter's recent significant papers include:

  • Asteroid (101955) Bennu in the laboratory: Properties of the sample collected by OSIRIS-REx, 2024, Meteoritics and Planetary Science
  • Noble gases and nitrogen in samples of asteroid Ryugu record its volatile sources and recent surface evolution, 2022, Science
  • Abundant ammonia and nitrogen-rich soluble organic matter in samples from asteroid (101955) Bennu, 2025, Nature Astronomy
  • Origin of the Moon, 2023, Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry
  • An evaporite sequence from ancient brine recorded in Bennu samples, 2025, Nature

Research publications are primarily disseminated through journals and venues such as Meteoritics and Planetary Science, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Abstracts with programs - Geological Society of America, arXiv (Cornell University), and Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry.

Collaborations and coauthorships are a significant aspect of their research career, with frequent coauthors including H. C. Connolly, K. Pando, D. S. Lauretta, Jason P. Dworkin, and S. A. Eckley, reflecting ongoing partnerships in the planetary science community.

Best Publications

  • OSIRIS-REx: Sample Return from Asteroid (101955) Bennu

    D. S. Lauretta;S. S. Balram-Knutson;E. Beshore;W. V. Boynton

  • The Constitution and Structure of the Lunar Interior

    Mark A. Wieczorek;Bradley L. Jolliff;Amir Khan;Matthew E. Pritchard

  • Determining the composition of the Earth

    Michael J. Drake;Kevin Righter

  • Mechanisms of metal-silicate equilibration in the terrestrial magma ocean

    D.C. Rubie;H.J. Melosh;J.E. Reid;C. Liebske

  • A magma ocean on Vesta: Core formation and petrogenesis of eucrites and diogenites

    Kevin Righter;Michael J. Drake

  • Partitioning of Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Ir, and Au between Cr-bearing spinel, olivine, pyroxene and silicate melts

    K. Righter;A. J. Campbell;M. Humayun;Richard Hervig

  • OSIRIS-REx: Sample Return from Asteroid (101955) Bennu

    D. S. Lauretta;S. S. Balram-Knutson;E. Beshore;W. V. Boynton

  • Evidence for widespread hydrated minerals on asteroid (101955) Bennu.

    V. E. Hamilton;A. A. Simon;P. R. Christensen;D. C. Reuter

  • Core Formation in Earth's Moon, Mars, and Vesta

    Kevin Righter;Michael J. Drake

  • Properties of Rubble-Pile Asteroid (101955) Bennu from OSIRIS-REx Imaging and Thermal Analysis

    D. N. DellaGiustina;J. P. Emery;D. R. Golish;Benjamin Rozitis

  • Shape of (101955) Bennu indicative of a rubble pile with internal stiffness.

    O Barnouin;M Daly;E Palmer

  • Prediction of siderophile element metal-silicate partition coefficients to 20 GPa and 2800°C: the effects of pressure, temperature, oxygen fugacity, and silicate and metallic melt compositions

    Unknown

  • Metal-silicate equilibrium in a homogeneously accreting earth: new results for Re

    Kevin Righter;Michael J. Drake

  • Effect of water on metal-silicate partitioning of siderophile elements: a high pressure and temperature terrestrial magma ocean and core formation

    Kevin Righter;Michael J. Drake

  • Compatibility of Rhenium in Garnet During Mantle Melting and Magma Genesis

    Kevin Righter;Erik H. Hauri;Erik H. Hauri

  • Metal-Silicate Partitioning of Siderophile Elements and Core Formation in the Early Earth*

    Kevin Righter

  • Origin of the earth and moon

    Robin M. Canup;Kevin Righter

  • High pressure effects on the iron–iron oxide and nickel–nickel oxide oxygen fugacity buffers

    Andrew J. Campbell;Lisa Danielson;Kevin Righter;Christopher T. Seagle

  • Phase equilibria of phlogopite lamprophyres from western Mexico: biotite-liquid equilibria and P- T estimates for biotite-bearing igneous rocks

    K. Righter;Ian S. E. Carmichael

  • Water in the Early Earth

    Y. Abe;E. Ohtani;T. Okuchi;K. Righter

  • Prediction of metal–silicate partition coefficients for siderophile elements: An update and assessment of PT conditions for metal–silicate equilibrium during accretion of the Earth

    K. Righter

Frequent Co-Authors

Harold C. Connolly
Harold C. Connolly Rowan University
Munir Humayun
Munir Humayun Florida State University
Michael E. Zolensky
Michael E. Zolensky National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Michael J. Drake
Michael J. Drake University of Arizona
Lindsay P. Keller
Lindsay P. Keller Arizona State University
Timothy J. McCoy
Timothy J. McCoy National Museum of Natural History
Dante S. Lauretta
Dante S. Lauretta University of Arizona
Sune G. Nielsen
Sune G. Nielsen Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Jason P. Dworkin
Jason P. Dworkin Goddard Space Flight Center
Andrew J. Campbell
Andrew J. Campbell University of Chicago

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