Assessing the true role of coauthors in the h-index measure of an author scientific impact

A method based on the classical principal component analysis leads to demonstrate that the role of co-authors should give a h-index measure to a group leader higher than usually accepted. The method rather easily gives what is usually searched for, i.e. an estimate of the role (or "weight") of co-authors, as the additional value to an author papers' popularity. The construction of the co-authorship popularity, H-matrix is exemplified and the role of eigenvalues and the main eigenvector component are discussed. Examples illustrate the points and serve as the basis for suggesting a generally practical application of the concept. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.