Australian Journal of Earth Sciences

Australian Journal of Earth Sciences is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering geology, geophysics, mineralogy, petroleum geology and related topics. The journal publishes original research, reviews and technical notes relevant to the geology of Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and global comparative studies, serving researchers associated with institutions such as the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and the Geological Society of Australia. Contributions often engage with regional case studies tied to locations like the Pilbara, the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Artesian Basin, the Tasman Sea and the Canning Basin.

History

The journal traces its origins to postwar developments in Australian science when organizations including the Australian Academy of Science, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the Geological Society of Australia and state geological surveys from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia expanded publication programs. Early predecessor titles emerged alongside international outlets such as Nature, Geology (journal), Journal of the Geological Society and Precambrian Research, reflecting shifts prompted by discoveries in regions like the Canning Basin, the Basin and Range Province analogues, and mineral finds at Mount Isa and Broken Hill. Over decades editorial stewardship involved academics from the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia, the Australian Catholic University and research officers from the Geological Survey of Western Australia. The publisher role transitioned through commercial and society arrangements culminating with current publication by Taylor & Francis.

Scope and Editorial Policy

The journal's scope spans stratigraphy, sedimentology, structural geology, tectonics, paleontology, geochronology, economic geology, petroleum geology, geochemistry and geophysics, engaging scholars affiliated with the Australian Geological Survey Organisation, the International Union of Geological Sciences, the Society of Economic Geologists, the International Association of Sedimentologists and the Paleontological Association. Editorial policy emphasizes rigorous peer review by referees from institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Cambridge, the California Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford and the University of Tokyo, and adheres to ethical guidelines promoted by organizations like the Committee on Publication Ethics. The journal accepts original research, invited reviews, technical notes and special issues addressing topics like mineral exploration at Olympic Dam, hydrocarbon systems in the Bonaparte Basin, metamorphic studies from the Himalayas and paleoclimatic reconstructions tied to the Antarctic Treaty research programs.

Publication and Access

Published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of the Geological Society of Australia and distributed to subscribers in regions including Oceania, Southeast Asia, North America, Europe and Africa, the journal appears on a regular timetable with digital and print editions accessible to libraries such as the National Library of Australia, the British Library, the Library of Congress and university consortia at the University of British Columbia. Authors affiliated with funding bodies like the Australian Research Council, the National Science Foundation, the European Research Council and industry partners engage with open access options consistent with mandates from agencies such as the Wellcome Trust and the Research Councils UK. Production workflows interface with submission systems used by journals like Science Advances, Geophysical Research Letters, Earth and Planetary Science Letters and Journal of Petroleum Geology.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in major bibliographic services and citation databases alongside peers such as Nature Geoscience, Geology (journal), Earth-Science Reviews and Tectonophysics, appearing in indexes operated by organizations including Clarivate Analytics, Scopus, GeoRef and EBSCO Information Services. Metadata distribution connects with platforms used by the Web of Science, the Directory of Open Access Journals for eligible content, and library discovery systems at institutions like the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University.

Impact and Reception

Articles from the journal have influenced resource development projects at Olympic Dam, exploration strategies in the Canning Basin and basin analysis in the Gippsland Basin, and have been cited in assessments by bodies such as the Australian Minerals Industry Research Association and the International Energy Agency. The journal's impact metrics are compared with journals like Earth-Science Reviews, Geology (journal), Journal of the Geological Society and Precambrian Research in evaluations conducted by university research offices at the University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia. Reviews and special issues have drawn contributions from leading scientists associated with the CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, the Antarctic Division, the Smithsonian Institution and major industry partners including BHP, Rio Tinto, Woodside Petroleum and Shell plc.

Category:Geology journals Category:Academic journals published in Australia