[1] This is a greeting from the new Editors of JGR–Solid Earth, Andre Revil from the Colorado School of Mines, Tom Parsons from the U.S. Geological Survey, and Robert Nowack from Purdue University. We are very excited about taking on the challenges and responsibilities of JGR–Solid Earth, with this being the 60th year since the inception of the Journal of Geophysical Research in 1949 as a continuation of the earlier Journal of Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electricity. The wider range of research areas for the new JGR was noted by its first editor Merle Tuve [Tuve, 1949], ‘‘We have recognized the need . . . for a scientific journal of high quality which endeavors to cover a broad range of subjects in geophysical research directed toward scientific goals. . ..’’ This is much the same mission today for JGR, which now includes seven different sections of which JGR–Solid Earth in itself includes a wide range of research areas in the solid Earth sciences. This year is also the 90th year since the establishment of the American Geophysical Union in 1919 by the National Academy of Sciences [Smith, 1969]. It later became a scientific society, and in 1958 it assumed the responsibilities of JGR and transferred scientific papers to it from the Transactions of the AGU, which later became Eos. AGU added other journals, starting in the 1960s including Geophysical Research Letters and Reviews of Geophysics. In 1999, AGU began publishing the all electronic journal,G-Cubed (Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems), and now provides all AGU journals online as the version of record. JGR, with its different research topics, will continue to be a flagship scientific journal for the AGU, and we are proud to carry on the JGR tradition as new Editors for JGR–Solid Earth. [2] We are also honored to be able to build on the achievements of the outgoing JGR–Solid Earth Editors, Richard Arculus, John Mutter, and Patrick Taylor. They have done an outstanding job during their tenure. They will continue to complete manuscripts started by them through the end of 2009. All new manuscripts will be handled by the new Editors. We are also very fortunate to have the continued editorial experience of the Editor’s Assistants at AGU, who are doing an outstanding job. [3] JGR–Solid Earth is committed to addressing a full range of topics in solid Earth geophysics. We encourage the submission of multidisciplinary studies covering a broad range of scales in the Earth, utilizing new geophysical methods and mathematical tools with integrated geophysical data. The Editors invite authors on special issues, as well as New Frontiers papers, to promote the discussion of emerging and critical topics. [4] Challenges that JGR–Solid Earth faces include reducing the time required to process a growing number of manuscripts and maintaining the highest quality of published papers. Our goal is to reduce the average duration of the review process from submission to the completion of the first decision. In addition, to improve the time to publication, authors of papers that require minor revisions will be given 30 days to complete their revisions, and authors of papers that require major revisions will be given 60 days. However, extensions will be granted under exceptional circumstances. [5] As we emphasize the electronic version in 2010, new ideas will be required to best utilize the new format, including potential uses of multimedia and dynamic content as auxiliary material. There are also new opportunities for social media tools and Web-based forums to discuss recently published papers. [6] Foremost, however, the growing success of AGU and JGR–Solid Earth mirrors the achievements of the geophysical community. Our journal is your journal. We depend on the efforts of our fine Associate Editors, manuscript reviewers, and authors. Your time spent on peer review is crucial, and we think of it as significant a scientific contribution as authoring papers. The future is bright; JGR is the globally acknowledged ‘‘go to’’ journal for innovative, full content geophysics research. We are honored to be entrusted with the Solid Earth section, and we look forward to seeing your new papers.
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Sep 20, 2011
Wilhelmus P M Ruijter + 4
