This is a temporary page for use by the Editorial Board of the Space Weather Journal and Space Weather Quarterly. See Dan Baker and Barbara Giles for further information.
December 2, 2pm Eastern
Toll Free Number: 866-757-4161
Toll Number for International: 1-517-968-4405
Participant passcode: 5807653
If you are outside the US, you may want to refer to this pdf for specific country information re accessing these telecon lines.
Purpose of the Telecon: Discussion where all can voice opinions that help identify key issues and form a consensus view on how to move forward.
1. The Space Weather Journal app is released. See announcement about to be submitted to SPA News, Solar News, and PEN. Please edit and submit to additional newsletters as is appropriate (copy to Louis, Howard, and Brooks please!).
2. Current Editorial Focus for the Journal and Quarterly:
- Space Weather "Annual Report" prepared by AGU
- Updates to text on the web site for the Space Weather Journal; will be passed by the publications committee for approval as soon as our input is complete.
- Q4 2013 SW Quarterly: Lou ready to work on this, status at AGU/Wiley?
- special section, nearly completed, devoted to the CRATeR mission and the radiation environment around the Moon
- 10th year anniversary
- assistance needed from editorial board or AGU?
Notes from the meeting.
All need to take a look at the Annual Report in anticipation of our AGU lunch meeting. Louis noted several encouraging statistics. Average times to acceptance and median times to acceptance are as good as other journals; this is an especially strong statistic in light of the nature of the writing style required. The Citation statistic is not as good as we would like to see. Louis and others have started to address this via normal, good editorial practices and we should expect to see the effects in the coming year. For example, there has been more examination of the references cited in the papers to ensure appropriate referencing of papers that may have been as readily available to the community . The number of submissions are increasing, citations are increasing as well.
Re the Q4 2013 SW Quarterly: Lou and AGU are ready to move it along. Brooks noted that AGU is ready to go forward with this Q4 quarterly "as we have always done". Lou and Brooks have the action to connect the appropriate parties to make progress on this.
This quarterly was, at one time, going to be the 10th anniversary edition. This could also be framed as the beginning of the next decade.
There was a suggestion that we instead do a 11-year solar cycle anniversary edition, as this would be the most appropriate anniversary cycle for space weather research. This suggestion seemed to resonant well with the telecon participants and so well be what happens.
Re the updated text for the website: The text could also be included in the iPad app? All on the telecon were invited to send any last comments for the updated text. Brooks will do the final editing incorporating this input, circulate back to all on the telecon and to the AGU publications committee for approval.
3. Publication issues to address:
- Near term:
- Establish distribution priorities for Quarterly (print vs electronic), update distribution list. In the past a few individuals did this manually via a phone call. AGU can update the committee people, need more work on the strategy for this.
- Prototype layout of Quarterly via standard/custom Wiley Special Section templates. Barbara visited with Brooks last week to view early "wireframes" and screenshots of the web interface that can be used to create "Special Sections" from/for the AGU journals. With some custom templates, this mechanism may solve our problem of having two parallel layout processes for the journal and the quarterly. More information to come on this in December so that all can assess whether this suggestion is a concept or can be a real possibility.
- Proposal to NSF and NASA re distribution of Quarterly and Writer Support. No news on this today. This is a concept with broad support among telecon participants; we need only move this forward as an action?
- Form Editorial Search Committee, write Terms of Reference for Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board
Notes from the telecon: Will want to define roles for editorial board members. To be listed on the masthead, AGU requires editors have a specific role, as opposed to simply an advisory role. Lou: the editorial board was selected to a cover the wide range of topics that Space Weather covers, it was used not to handle papers but rather to give ideas for the papers, serve as expert reviewers, and solicit non-technical articles. Question: How do boards operate on other journals? Brooks: one issue is to balance the recognition value versus the depth of role played -- across all AGU journals. It was noted that the current board does include world-wide participation to ensure the broadest reach possible, there are plans to continue this in the future. We understand that AGU wants to place SWJ in the context of the other journals, we also need understanding that this journal is different and needs a lot of different kinds of input, from an editorial board with members from across the world.
Some folks may think this journal is more limited in scope than it is. We have a much broader audience than is known and need to ensure our board reflects this base and is able to bring focus toward all those areas. Bob Robinson, Howard Singer, and Bob McCoy will start by writing a draft Terms of Reference for the SWJ/SWQ editorial organization. One suggestion is to ensure the board has quarterly telecons in the future. Assuming we are able to write a TOR acceptable to all parties involved, this would serve as a initial SOW for future editors, editorial board members, and/or any advisory board members. The TOR should contain a clause that it be re-examined and updated at the beginning of each editor-in-chief's term.
Many of our readers are not contributors or practitioners in space weather research; these folks may not access the journal web site directly or cite the articles in a manner that can be "counted". Assessing that "impact" will be important as the journal moves forward.
- Mid term:
- Address factors behind access/citation rate. No time for full discussion of this item.
- Formulate plan for broader electronic access of journal/quarterly. No time for full discussion of this item.
- Capture history of the journal and quarterly in accessible place. Bob Robinson found additional materials to add; please take a look and see what you have to contribute to the history page.
- Longer term:
- Explore/expand partnerships: AMS, AIAA. Bob McCoy will start this discussion at the AGU luncheon. We will post a summary of that, and any other materials to this site for those unable to attend that lunch.
- Added an item: How to assess the full "impact" of the journal, when the access/citation stats don't tell the full story.
4. Topics for the AGU meeting of the editorial board:
- Suggestions for further App improvements to make it even more useful for readers and subscribers and users.
- Suggestions for SW Journal and SW Quarterly articles, features, etc.
- McCoy: Relationship between AMS and AGU re Space Weather and application to the Space Weather Journal/Quarterly (5-10 min). Collaboration? Link to the AMS Policy Statement on Space Weather. There may be a policy statement on Space Weather by AGU? Klimchuk can share that process (website with form?). What group can lead that?
- Lunchtime entertainment talk on capabilities for production of the Quarterly. Brooks will send slides ahead of time (<15 min)
- Potentially will have some information on Terms of Reference for Editor/Editorial Board
- Some may wish to stay in the room past the nominal luncheon time for extended discussion, if our meeting obligations allow.
END OF TELECON
We need to cover this and end in one hour. Please help with the discussions to accomplish this and afterwards by emailing additional thoughts, suggestions, and materials to the group.
To prepare for the telecon, you may want to review/add to the information already in circulation
- see previous meeting/telecon and other notes in the blue box to the right -->
- see the attempt to summarize the notes, emails, etc. below
Space Weather appears in the news:
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/11009/20131119/deep-space-radiation-hazards-quantified-future-mars-exploration.htm
http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/4982/20131119/scientists-collect-new-quantifiable-measurement-cosmic-radiation.htm
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MEETING/TELECON INFO
TELECON #2: |
Mon, Dec 2 at 2pm Eastern
Mon, Dec 2 at 8pm Frankfurt
Mon, Dec 2 at 7pm London
Mon, Dec 2 at 1pm Central
Mon, Dec 2 at 12noon Mountain
Mon, Dec 2 at 11am Pacific
Mon, Dec 2 at 9am Honolulu
Mon, Dec 2 at 4am Tokyo (zzzz!) |
Space Weather Board Luncheon:
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Tues, Dec 10 at 12:30-1:30 Pacific
at the Marriott
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TELECON #1:
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Thurs, Nov 21 at 3pm Eastern
Meeting Notes
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TELECON #Kickoff:
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Wed, Oct 23 at 11am Eastern
Meeting Notes
Thoughtful input from Wilkinson
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Journal Strategy Assessment:
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Space Weather Assessment / Strategic Plan
Supplement to Assessment / Plan
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Additional Resources:
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Journal Access Statistics for Sept
Distribution list for the Quarterly
Baker opinion article on role of Societies |
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Listing of Items That Have Been Suggested for Discussion: |
- Values/directions voiced as wanting to preserve? (feel free to add/edit the list)
- further establish SWJ/SWQ as the premier policy magazine for the space weather-related research disciplines
- continually increase the number and citation rate of high quality research papers in the journal
- continually increase visibility inside and outside the research community
- printed version of quarterly to funding/policy stakeholders
- broad circulation of quarterly in some form as communication tool
- Initiatives suggested through the flurry of emails (feel free to add/edit the list):
- Overall:
- work w/ AGU and SPA leadership to institutionalize SWJ/SWQ as a flagship science policy publication for AGU
- increase visibility of journal and quarterly beyond its current readership
- explore what a partnership with AMS and/or other societies would mean, what aspects would be enhanced or diluted.
- renewed visibility on ISIS website
- engage AGU's new director of public affairs, Lexi Shultz, in our discussions for the purpose of advising what will be most beneficial to agency/government stakeholders, among other topics. Her long experience as a gov't liason and legal advisor for UCS will be beneficial to the discussions.
- Access/Citation Rate:
- increase the number of reviews among the journal papers
- continue/expand the Editor's Choice column
- series of articles on the operational models
- work with other editors to encourage redirection of appropriate research papers to SWJ
- work with other editors for greater cross-referencing of relevant papers via new WWW site capabilities
- Address Editorial Management Burdens / Production Costs
- pursue "sponsored" support for professional editing and hardcopy printing costs for Quarterly
- examine whether the production methods for the quarterly can economically leverage the Wiley "special collections" features to enable iPad/ebook versions and print-on-demand
- establish subscription rules for print versus electronic versions of the Quarterly and processes for continued maintenance of the distribution list
- carefully assess the government-mandated open access journal model, the responses to that mandate across the relevant publishers, and the potential benefit/liability to the range of journal and quarterly business cases that could be suggested.
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Summary of points made in various emails/notes: |
- Value to Community as identified in emails/telecon notes:
- important policy magazine for the Union and for a broad segment of membership
- premier journal for space weather
- the journal is the only society sponsored publication for operational space weather research
- quarterly is key for communicating ideas to people with limited science background
- Primary Challenges as identified in emails/telecon notes:
- access statistics appear low; one of least accessed AGU journals
- cost, including the quarterly, is high relative to other journals
- Contributing Challenges identified in emails/telecon notes:
- scientists in the field perhaps either do not have the time to publish the applications of their research or it's not a priority?
- the quarterly somewhat over-shadows the journal? a casual poll reveals that some scientists aren't aware there are two distinct, but linked publications
- increasing the visibility of the journal can result in increased subscriptions to the Quarterly, which increases costs.
- authors of non-technical articles may not continue to write for the journal/quarterly if their writings will no longer reach the decision makers and policy folks that the quarterly has reached in the past.
- AGU/Wiley assets about to be in place that can be leveraged:
- iPad App soon available for SWJ. Once synced with institutional account, downloads and reading can happen anywhere for 3 months. The app provides an HTML view of the content and can be organized by special section. One can browse by issue or by just released articles. Note that the quarterly is currently produced in a manner which limits the ability to participate in this rollout of journal aps.
- Wiley is working on redesign for journal WWW sites including flexible "widgets" that can be used to increase cross-referencing between journals and/or special collections. One new feature will be a "special collections" feature than can pull and organize content across journals and include options for a cover, TOC, and introduction. These can have guest editors and should be able to be released as individual aps or ebooks. These can also be printed on-demand.
- Questions (summarized from emails and meeting notes):
- What should the business model for the Space Weather Journal be? Should move to open access with author fee? How can the commentary pieces be supported under that model?
- Is there a need for editorial scope change? How can we better enforce the distinctions to the science research journals such as Radio Science and JGR Space Physics?
- How should the Quarterly evolve? Should the content expand to highlight related content published in other journals?
- Is a separate composition/production stream necessary for the Quarterly? Can we use the production stream created for the new virtual journals to streamline production and enable electronic access?
- How to best balance the business model for the quarterly? What should be the proportion of print versus electronic access? Should we renew sponsored development and printing? How do the necessary writing professionals get their support?
- During this time of transition, how can we best support a continuous stream of the highest quality space weather research papers AND the important news that our stakeholders need to have presented to them? Can we put some attention on the journal/quarterly to better aid the editors in meeting the current production schedule and to smoothly transition into a new production environment?
Space Weather Journal |
Space Weather Quarterly |
This is a technical journal with impact factor: 1.37.
2012 ISI Journal Citation Reports Rankings: 34/56 (Astronomy & Astrophysics); 43/76 (Geochemistry & Geophysics); 46/74 (Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences)
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This is a technical magazine,
which was part of the AGU News Division?
now part of Publications division?
The two publications serve both the scientific and the applications-oriented, "above the atmosphere" (particularly space physics and aeronomy, and planetary), membership of the AGU as well as engineers and related professionals who may not join AGU because of its scientific focus.
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Space Weather Journal:
Proposed update for the website: Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications is an online publication devoted to the field of space weather and its impact on the design and operations of technical and engineered systems, including telecommunications, electric power, and satellite navigation. The journal's readers include engineers, system operators, systems designers, space weather forecasters, space weather modelers, as well as the research community.
Since the era of development of the initial electrical telegraph systems in the early 19th century, the solar-terrestrial environment has influenced the design and operations of ever-increasing and sophisticated technical systems. James Van Allen reported in 1958 that the space environment around the Earth was not benign, but rather composed of high-intensity radiation. Engineers and scientists immediately recognized from this discovery that technical systems such as the communications satellites envisioned by Arthur Clark and John Pierce would require design and operations procedures (and therefore costs) that had not been otherwise anticipated. Space Weather addresses these and all engineered systems that are affected by solar-produced processes, from ground currents in electrical grids, communication cables, and pipelines, to GPS navigation to HF radio propagation.
Space Weather is a research resource that also provides news and information for space weather professionals. Space Weather publishes:
- peer-reviewed articles presenting the latest engineering and science research in the field, including studies of the response of technical systems to specific space weather events, predictions of detrimental space weather impacts, and effects of natural radiation on aerospace systems;
- feature articles that describe specialized topics in space weather, from history to new developments to national activities to interviews with space weather professionals. Feature Articles are 2000 words in length and can contain three figures;
- news articles and book reviews. News articles provide up-to-date coverage of government agency initiatives worldwide and space weather activities of the commercial sector. These articles can be 500 to 1000 words and can contain one figure;
- letters and opinion articles offering an exchange of ideas; these articles are 500 words or less;
- editorial comments on current issues facing the community.
From the First Issue: The primary goal of Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications is to promote communication among scientists, engineers, technicians, science administrators, and space weather policy makers in a way that leads to continuous improvement in the nation's ability to mitigate space environment hazards to technical systems on the ground and in space.
Currently on the website: Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications is an online publication devoted to the emerging field of space weather and its impact on technical systems, including telecommunications, electric power, and satellite navigation.
Space Weather is a research resource that also provides news and information for space weather professionals. Space Weather publishes:
- peer-reviewed articles presenting the latest engineering and science research in the field, including studies of the response of technical systems to specific space weather events,predictions of detrimental space weather impacts, and effects of natural radiation on aerospace systems;
- news and feature articles providing up-to-date coverage of government agency initiatives worldwide and space weather activities of the commercial sector;
- letters and opinion articles offering an exchange of ideas; and
- editorial comments on current issues facing the community.
Space Weather is published by the American Geophysical Union and is co-sponsored by the International Space Environment Service (ISES). A digest of the online publication, Space Weather Quarterly (ISSN 1539-4964), is distributed four times a year free of charge.
Space Weather Quarterly:
From the first Issue: Space Weather Quarterly is a digest of selected articles published online in Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications.
A copy (or derivative) of the original press release (can't find the original).
Currently on the website: Space Weather Quarterly is a free, subscription-based print publication devoted to the impacts of space weather on technical systems, including telecommunications, electric power, radiation effects on space electronics, and satellite navigation. Space Weather Quarterly is a digest published by the American Geophysical Union that supports the journal, Space Weather: The International Journal of Research and Applications, which addresses the applications of space research findings and results to practical problems that face numerous government and industry entities that design and operate technical systems that are known to be influenced and affected by processes in the solar-terrestrial environment. Space Weather also publishes models of various solar system processes, as well as more integrated models, that are addressed to predictions and forecasts of solar and geomagnetic disturbances that impact technical systems.
Related journals and publications: |
The Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate (SWSC) is an international multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary peer-reviewed open access journal which publishes papers on all aspects of space weather and space climate from a broad range of scientific and technical fields including solar physics, space plasma physics, aeronomy, planetology, radio science, geophysics, biology, medicine, astronautics, aeronautics, electrical engineering, meteorology, climatology, mathematics, economy, informatics. An online, open access electronic journal published by EDP Sciences, Les Ulis Cedex, France. Five paper and an editorial were published in 2011; 22 papers were published in 2012; and 30 papers and an editorial have been published thus far in 2013.
One person suggested that if the Space Weather Journal was no longer available or combined so as to diffuse its identity, then JSWSC would become their journal of choice for operational space weather articles.