Overview

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms is an interdisciplinary international journal concerned with:

  • the interactions between surface processes and landforms and landscapes;
  • that lead to physical, chemical and biological changes; and which in turn create;
  • current landscapes and the geological record of past landscapes.

Its focus is core to both physical geographical and geological communities, and also the wider geosciences.

We publish research papers of widespread interest across the geomorphological community and beyond as well as case-study focused papers relating to particular landforms, landscapes and regions.

The journal is affiliated with the British Society for Geomorphology (BSG), a professional organisation that promotes the field of geomorphology, encouraging interests in: geomorphic processes, and the erosion, deposition and formation of landforms and sediments. Foci include the physical geography of our river, valley, glacier, mountain, hill, slope, coast, desert and estuary environments; alongside responses to Holocene, Pleistocene or Quaternary environmental change. The BSG webpages outline the society’ activities including membership.


Aims and Scope

We aim to publish manuscripts that are of the highest scientific rigour that address the full range of the discipline of geomorphology including the following specific areas:

  • The geological records of Earth surface processes in relation to environmental change, including the interpretation and use such records to reconstruct landforms, landscapes and landscape evolution.
  • The application of quantitative retrodictive and predictive models to support such interpretations.
  • The impacts of past, current and future environmental change upon Earth surface processes, and the influences of core drivers such as climate, tectonics, seismic and volcanic activity, vegetation and ecology, ice sheets and glaciers; and oceans and sea level.
  • Weathering and the fluxes of material, both solid and in solution, and their contribution to landscape development and landform evolution.
  • The full range of environments associated with the Earth, including glacial, paraglacial, periglacial; hillslopes; soils; Critical Zones; fluvial; karst; aeolian; estuarine and coastal.
  • Planetary geomorphology and the interpretation of planetary processes and landforms in the light of our understanding of Earth surface processes and landforms and the emerging knowledge of the planets themselves.
  • The hazards produced by geomorphic processes.
  • The relationship between geomorphic processes and management.
  • State of the art developments in techniques that enable new geomorphological questions to be asked, including remote sensing (airborne and ground-based) GIS, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, mathematical modelling and analysis, dating.
  • Geomorphological theory, including conceptual development.

 

Manuscript types

We welcome the following kinds of manuscripts:

  • Research papers present original and significant research results or methodological developments of widespread geomorphic interest (max length 8,000 words, excluding Figure/Table captions and bibliography). They are written in the form of a scientific article with a complete and reproducible methodology, clearly separated results and discussion, and a conclusion. Work based around a case study must make its wider geomorphic relevance clear.
  • Case study papers (max length 8,000 words, excluding Figure/Table captions and bibliography) are research articles that describe the geomorphology of particular landforms, landscapes or regions. They should be based upon rigorously-acquired data and analysis but they do not necessarily need to address the wider importance of the work they are presenting, as we require in our full research papers. The structure of a case study paper should follow that of a full research paper (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusions).
  • Letters to ESEX allow for publication of potentially original and significant research results or methodological developments in a shorter format (maximum length 4,000 words, excluding Figure/Table captions and bibliography).
  • ESEX commentaries are opinion pieces (maximum length 1,500 words, excluding Figure/Table captions and bibliography) designed to encourage geomorphic reflection around particular issues/questions or introducing collections of papers addressing particular topics.
  • ESEX exchanges are discussions of published papers (maximum length 1,500 words, excluding Figure/Table captions and bibliography).
  • State of Science articles are review papers normally up to 12,000 words in length, although longer may be allowed. State of Science articles must not only engage widely with relevant literature, they must also establish the wider importance of the work being reviewed for geomorphic science more widely. Authors are encouraged to consult with the Managing Editor [email protected] before submission.


Readership

Geomorphologists in particular and geoscientists in general

 

Keywords

Geomorphology, Geomorphic Processes, Earth Surface Processes, Geochronology, Landforms, Landscapes, Sedimentology, Soils, Soil erosion, Weathering, Hillslopes, Fluvial, Aeolian, Glacial, Periglacial, Paraglacial, Karst, Tropical, Tectonics, Landslides, Mass movements, Coastal, Volcanic processes, Climate change, Planetary Science, Biogeomorphology, Weathering, Hazards, Human impacts, Terrain, Methods, Remote Sensing, GIS, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, journal, online journal, Wiley Online Library

 

ESPL Diversity Equality and Inclusion statement

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms publishes research related to geomorphology, in terms of processes, landforms and landscapes. It aims to do so blind to where an author comes from, who an author is and where they are in their career stage. Biases potentially occur in both the review and editorial processes, and can be complex, hidden and multivariate in nature.  We are committed to minimizing all such biases as far as possible.

To reflect this, we are committed to:

  • A journal scope that recognizes the broad ways in which geomorphological research can be undertaken and provides opportunities for all geomorphologists to publish their work in the journal provided it meets our standards for originality, significance and rigor.
  • The encouragement of diverse contributors to the journal, and reflection upon how our policies and commissioning can broaden the diversity of authors, readers, and scientific content.
  • A review process that focuses evaluation on the scientific content of the manuscript and not the origins, identities and seniority of the researchers who have submitted it.
  • An Editorial Board whose disciplinary coverage allows us to evaluate all domains of geomorphological enquiry, and which is composed of Editors from a spectrum of career stages and perspectives.
  • An Editorial Advisory Board with a geographical and gender representation that reflects those of our submissions.
  • Supporting authors for whom writing in a journal that uses the English language is difficult where they have no other means of obtaining support.

For instructions in preparing your manuscript, please read our author guidelines.


Indexing Information
  • Agricultural & Environmental Science Database (ProQuest)
  • Agricultural Engineering Abstracts (CABI)
  • AGRIS Database (FAO)
  • Animal Breeding Abstracts (CABI)
  • Astrophysics Data System (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory)
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  • CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service (ACS)
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  • Earth, Atmospheric & Aquatic Science Database (ProQuest)
  • Environment Index (EBSCO Publishing)
  • Field Crop Abstracts (CABI)
  • FLUIDEX (Elsevier)
  • GeoArchive (Geosystems)
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  • GeoRef (AGI)
  • Geotitles (Geosystems)
  • Global Health (CABI)
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  • Groundwater & Soil Contamination Database (AGI)
  • Horticultural Science Abstracts (CABI)
  • Hydrotitles (Geosystems)
  • INSPEC (IET)
  • International Civil Engineering Abstracts (Emerald)
  • Irrigation & Drainage Abstracts (CABI)
  • Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition (Clarivate Analytics)
  • Leisure Tourism Database (CABI)
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  • Maize Abstracts (CABI)
  • Materials Science & Engineering Database (ProQuest)
  • MOFR: Marine, Oceanographic & Freshwater Resources (NISC South Africa)
  • NATCHA: Natural & Cultural Heritage Africa (NISC South Africa)
  • Natural Science Collection (ProQuest)
  • Ornamental Horticulture (CABI)
  • Pig News & Information (CABI)
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  • Science Citation Index (Clarivate Analytics)
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  • Technology Collection (ProQuest)
  • VINITI (All-Russian Institute of Science & Technological Information)
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  • Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics)
  • Weed Abstracts (CABI)
  • Wheat, Barley & Triticale Abstracts (CABI)
  • World Agricultural Economics & Rural Sociology Abstracts (CABI)