Author
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Van Genuchten, Martinus |
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Submitted to: Vadose Zone Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2002 Publication Date: 8/5/2002 Citation: Van Genuchten, M.T. 2002. Letter from the editor. Vadose Zone Journal. Vol 1:1-2 Interpretive Summary: This Letter from the Editor gives the scope and rational of a new, fully electronic journal called Vadose Zone Journal (VZJ). Initiation of the journal is motivated by the recognition that the vadose zone between the soil surface and the groundwater table is fundamental to many scientific and engineering disciplines. Unfortunately, vadose zone research historically has been carried out mostly from disciplinary perspectives, with often limited knowledge of related work in other fields. The result is that our understanding of the vadose zone remains fragmentary and incomplete. VZJ is intended to be an interdisciplinary forum from which a more complete and coherent understanding of the vadose zone may emerge. While tremendous advances have been made during the past several decades toward better understanding vadose zone processes, advances generally have proceeded along separate disciplinary lines, with limited interaction and without a feeling of community among the different groups involved. Research up to this day is being published mostly in separate journals supported by different professional societies, or in more narrowly focused journals run by commercial publishers. The scientific community needs a home for research that covers all of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the vadose zone, especially multidisciplinary research. For this reason, VZJ is expected to break down some of the barriers between the different disciplines and societies, while also narrowing the increasingly severe gap between the state-of-the-science and the state-of-the-practice. Several recent issues of Vadose Zone Research can be accessed freely at the journal's Web Site www.vadosezonejournal.org. Technical Abstract: This Letter from the Editor gives the scope and rational of a new, fully electronic journal called Vadose Zone Journal (VZJ). Initiation of the journal is motivated by the recognition that the vadose zone is fundamental to many scientific and engineering disciplines. Unfortunately, vadose zone research historically has been carried out mostly from disciplinary perspectives, with often limited knowledge of related work in other fields. The result is that our understanding of the vadose zone remains fragmentary and incomplete. VZJ is intended to be an interdisciplinary forum from which a more complete and coherent understanding of the vadose zone may emerge. The vadose zone is now the active domain of scientists and professionals in a broad range of disciplines, including soil physics, geophysics, hydrogeology, geochemistry, soil chemistry, microbiology, terrestrial ecology, atmospheric sciences, environmental engineering, agricultural engineering, and engineering associated with construction, petroleum and chemical technologies. However, while tremendous advances have been made during the past several decades, they generally have proceeded along separate disciplinary lines, with limited interaction and without a feeling of community among the different groups involved. Research up to this day is being published mostly in separate journals supported by different professional societies, or in more narrowly focused journals run by commercial publishers. The scientific community needs a home for research that covers all of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the vadose zone, especially multidisciplinary research. For this reason, VZJ is expected to break down some of the barriers between the different disciplines and societies, while also narrowing the increasingly severe gap between the state-of-the-science and the state-of-the-practice. The new direction in focusing on multidisciplinary vadose zone research is accompanied by a new direction in publishing. VZJ is entirely electronic, from manuscript submission and peer review via the Manuscript Tracker system (http://www.manuscripttracker.com/vzj/), to electronic proofs, to online publication by HighWire Press. Electronic review and proofing quicken the publication process and facilitate the participation of authors and editors from any part of the globe. |
