World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Environmental Sciences

D-Index
85
Citations
23550
World Ranking
757
National Ranking
321

Kevin Zahnle publication distribution in Environmental Sciences in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Environmental Sciences in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Kevin Zahnle sits on this spectrum.

41–50 publications: 21 scientists 51–60 publications: 62 scientists 61–70 publications: 133 scientists 71–80 publications: 257 scientists 81–90 publications: 361 scientists 91–100 publications: 440 scientists 101–110 publications: 492 scientists 111–120 publications: 541 scientists 121–130 publications: 617 scientists 131–140 publications: 544 scientists 141–150 publications: 541 scientists 151–160 publications: 539 scientists 161–170 publications: 444 scientists 171–180 publications: 444 scientists 181–190 publications: 400 scientists 191–200 publications: 377 scientists 201–210 publications: 318 scientists 211–220 publications: 282 scientists 221–230 publications: 263 scientists 231–240 publications: 220 scientists 241–250 publications: 217 scientists 251–260 publications: 180 scientists 261–270 publications: 181 scientists 271–280 publications: 155 scientists 281–290 publications: 130 scientists 291–300 publications: 127 scientists 301–310 publications: 130 scientists 311–320 publications: 85 scientists 321–330 publications: 106 scientists 331–340 publications: 80 scientists 341–350 publications: 83 scientists 351–360 publications: 75 scientists 361–370 publications: 69 scientists 371–380 publications: 52 scientists 381–390 publications: 54 scientists 391–400 publications: 56 scientists 401–410 publications: 44 scientists 411–420 publications: 40 scientists 421–430 publications: 36 scientists 431–440 publications: 25 scientists 441–450 publications: 25 scientists 451–460 publications: 32 scientists 461–470 publications: 29 scientists 471–480 publications: 21 scientists 481–490 publications: 26 scientists 491–500 publications: 26 scientists 501–510 publications: 17 scientists 511–520 publications: 19 scientists 521–530 publications: 15 scientists 531–540 publications: 22 scientists 541–550 publications: 12 scientists 551–560 publications: 15 scientists 561–570 publications: 11 scientists 571–580 publications: 19 scientists 581–590 publications: 9 scientists 591–600 publications: 9 scientists 601–610 publications: 7 scientists 611–620 publications: 11 scientists 621–630 publications: 5 scientists 631–640 publications: 5 scientists 641–650 publications: 6 scientists 651–660 publications: 3 scientists 661–670 publications: 3 scientists 671–680 publications: 4 scientists 681–689 publications: 4 scientists 690+ publications: 100 scientists
41 publications 690+

This scientist: 306 publications — 87th percentile

87% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 690 publications or more.

Kevin Zahnle D-index placement in Environmental Sciences in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Environmental Sciences scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Kevin Zahnle sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 12 scientists 31 D-Index: 26 scientists 32 D-Index: 51 scientists 33 D-Index: 88 scientists 34 D-Index: 123 scientists 35 D-Index: 163 scientists 36 D-Index: 206 scientists 37 D-Index: 267 scientists 38 D-Index: 265 scientists 39 D-Index: 275 scientists 40 D-Index: 321 scientists 41 D-Index: 343 scientists 42 D-Index: 305 scientists 43 D-Index: 336 scientists 44 D-Index: 330 scientists 45 D-Index: 348 scientists 46 D-Index: 291 scientists 47 D-Index: 275 scientists 48 D-Index: 272 scientists 49 D-Index: 273 scientists 50 D-Index: 263 scientists 51 D-Index: 232 scientists 52 D-Index: 266 scientists 53 D-Index: 217 scientists 54 D-Index: 198 scientists 55 D-Index: 177 scientists 56 D-Index: 202 scientists 57 D-Index: 204 scientists 58 D-Index: 166 scientists 59 D-Index: 177 scientists 60 D-Index: 166 scientists 61 D-Index: 152 scientists 62 D-Index: 143 scientists 63 D-Index: 150 scientists 64 D-Index: 124 scientists 65 D-Index: 119 scientists 66 D-Index: 120 scientists 67 D-Index: 118 scientists 68 D-Index: 82 scientists 69 D-Index: 98 scientists 70 D-Index: 94 scientists 71 D-Index: 105 scientists 72 D-Index: 74 scientists 73 D-Index: 84 scientists 74 D-Index: 70 scientists 75 D-Index: 67 scientists 76 D-Index: 78 scientists 77 D-Index: 60 scientists 78 D-Index: 59 scientists 79 D-Index: 52 scientists 80 D-Index: 47 scientists 81 D-Index: 38 scientists 82 D-Index: 48 scientists 83 D-Index: 42 scientists 84 D-Index: 42 scientists 85 D-Index: 43 scientists 86 D-Index: 29 scientists 87 D-Index: 37 scientists 88 D-Index: 29 scientists 89 D-Index: 30 scientists 90 D-Index: 34 scientists 91 D-Index: 20 scientists 92 D-Index: 22 scientists 93 D-Index: 17 scientists 94 D-Index: 19 scientists 95 D-Index: 24 scientists 96 D-Index: 21 scientists 97 D-Index: 20 scientists 98 D-Index: 24 scientists 99 D-Index: 17 scientists 100 D-Index: 17 scientists 101 D-Index: 21 scientists 102 D-Index: 25 scientists 103 D-Index: 18 scientists 104 D-Index: 26 scientists 105 D-Index: 20 scientists 106 D-Index: 15 scientists 107 D-Index: 10 scientists 108 D-Index: 13 scientists 109 D-Index: 15 scientists 110 D-Index: 12 scientists 111 D-Index: 8 scientists 112 D-Index: 7 scientists 113 D-Index: 9 scientists 114 D-Index: 6 scientists 115 D-Index: 12 scientists 116 D-Index: 7 scientists 117 D-Index: 8 scientists 118 D-Index: 3 scientists 119 D-Index: 5 scientists 120 D-Index: 7 scientists 121 D-Index: 2 scientists 122 D-Index: 4 scientists 123 D-Index: 8 scientists 124 D-Index: 7 scientists 125 D-Index: 9 scientists 126+ D-Index: 92 scientists
30 D-Index 126+

This scientist: 85 D-Index — 92nd percentile

92% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 126 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2011 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Overview

Kevin Zahnle is affiliated with the Ames Research Center in the United States and works primarily within the fields of Physics and Astronomy. Their research spans various subfields, including Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Science, Ecology, Paleontology, and Oceanography.

The main topics covered in their work include:

  • Astro and Planetary Science
  • Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
  • Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
  • Isotope Analysis in Ecology
  • Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
  • Atmospheric Ozone and Climate

Zahnle's publication record includes contributions to a variety of scientific journals, with frequent publications in:

  • The Planetary Science Journal
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
  • The Astrophysical Journal Letters
  • Science Advances
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Notable recent papers authored or co-authored by Zahnle include:

  • "The Archean atmosphere" (2020, Science Advances)
  • "Revealing the Mysteries of Venus: The DAVINCI Mission" (2022, The Planetary Science Journal)
  • "JWST Observations of K2-18b Can Be Explained by a Gas-rich Mini-Neptune with No Habitable Surface" (2024, The Astrophysical Journal Letters)
  • "Origin-of-life Molecules in the Atmosphere after Big Impacts on the Early Earth" (2023, The Planetary Science Journal)
  • "Rapid timescale for an oxic transition during the Great Oxidation Event and the instability of low atmospheric O 2" (2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

Their frequent co-authors include Nicholas F. Wogan, David C. Catling, Natasha E. Batalha, Shang-Min Tsai, and Joshua Krissansen-Totton, indicating collaborative research efforts across the planetary sciences and related disciplines.

In recognition of their contributions, Kevin Zahnle was named a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in 2011.

Best Publications

  • Cratering Rates in the Outer Solar System

    Kevin Zahnle;Paul Schenk;Harold Levison;Luke Dones

  • The 1908 Tunguska explosion - Atmospheric disruption of a stony asteroid

    Christopher F. Chyba;Christopher F. Chyba;Paul J. Thomas;Kevin J. Zahnle

  • Annihilation of ecosystems by large asteroid impacts on the early Earth

    Norman H. Sleep;Kevin J. Zahnle;James F. Kasting;Harold J. Morowitz

  • Carbon dioxide cycling and implications for climate on ancient Earth

    Norman H. Sleep;Kevin Zahnle

  • Biogenic methane, hydrogen escape, and the irreversible oxidation of early Earth.

    David C. Catling;David C. Catling;Kevin J. Zahnle;Christopher P. McKay

  • Oceanic nickel depletion and a methanogen famine before the Great Oxidation Event

    Kurt O. Konhauser;Ernesto Pecoits;Stefan V. Lalonde;Dominic Papineau

  • Environmental Perturbations Caused by the Impacts of Asteroids and Comets

    Owen B. Toon;Kevin Zahnle;David Morrison;Richard P. Turco

  • The Archean atmosphere

    David C. Catling;Kevin J. Zahnle

  • Emergence of a habitable planet

    Kevin Zahnle;Nick Arndt;Charles Cockell;Alex Halliday

  • Evolution of a steam atmosphere during earth's accretion

    Kevin J. Zahnle;James F. Kasting;James B. Pollack

  • Photochemistry of methane and the formation of hydrocyanic acid (HCN) in the Earth's early atmosphere

    Kevin J. Zahnle

  • The loss of mass‐independent fractionation in sulfur due to a Palaeoproterozoic collapse of atmospheric methane

    KJ Zahnle;MW Claire;DC Catling;DC Catling

  • QUANTITATIVELY ASSESSING THE ROLE OF CLOUDS IN THE TRANSMISSION SPECTRUM OF GJ 1214b

    Caroline V. Morley;Jonathan J. Fortney;Eliza M.-R. Kempton;Mark S. Marley

  • Why O2 is required by complex life on habitable planets and the concept of planetary "oxygenation time".

    David C. Catling;Christopher R. Glein;Kevin J. Zahnle;Christopher P. McKay

  • Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama

    D. C. Catling;D. C. Catling;Mark Claire;K. J. Zahnle;R. C. Quinn;R. C. Quinn

  • The evolution of solar ultraviolet luminosity

    Kevin J. Zahnle;James C. G. Walker

  • Environmental Effects of Large Impacts on Mars

    Teresa L. Segura;Owen B. Toon;Anthony Colaprete;Kevin Zahnle

  • Earth’s Earliest Atmospheres

    Kevin Zahnle;Laura Schaefer;Bruce Fegley

  • Habitable Zone Limits for Dry Planets

    Yutaka Abe;Ayako Abe-Ouchi;Norman H. Sleep;Kevin J. Zahnle

  • Thermal Emission and Albedo Spectra of Super Earths with Flat Transmission Spectra

    Caroline V. Morley;Jonathan J. Fortney;Mark S. Marley;Kevin Zahnle

  • Cratering rates on the Galilean satellites.

    Kevin Zahnle;Luke Dones;Harold F Levison

  • Cratering rates in the outer solar system.

    K. J. Zahnle;H. F. Levison;L. Dones;P. M. Schenk

Frequent Co-Authors

David C. Catling
David C. Catling University of Washington
Norman H. Sleep
Norman H. Sleep Stanford University
Mark W. Claire
Mark W. Claire University of St Andrews
Mark S. Marley
Mark S. Marley University of Arizona
Jonathan J. Fortney
Jonathan J. Fortney University of California, Santa Cruz
James F. Kasting
James F. Kasting Pennsylvania State University
David Crisp
David Crisp California Institute of Technology
Sushil K. Atreya
Sushil K. Atreya University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
Christopher P. McKay
Christopher P. McKay Ames Research Center
Mordecai-Mark Mac Low
Mordecai-Mark Mac Low American Museum of Natural History

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For those interested in Environmental Sciences, there are several related online degrees that can broaden career opportunities. Students looking to combine social impact with environmental work may explore the cheapest dsw program, which offers an affordable pathway to advanced social work degrees focused on community and environmental well-being.

If you prefer a flexible option, an online general studies degree affordable program provides a customizable curriculum, allowing students to integrate environmental topics with other interests, making it a versatile choice for career development.

For those new to college or seeking a straightforward option, some of the easiest bachelor's degree programs include majors that align well with environmental sciences. These programs can help build foundational knowledge while maintaining a manageable workload.

Specializing further, online geology degrees are a natural complement to environmental studies. The geology degree online options provide practical skills in earth sciences, preparing students for careers in resource management, environmental consultancy, and research.

Best Scientists Citing Kevin Zahnle

Trending Scientists

Recently Published Articles