Special issues
The flexible format of the special issues offered by Geoscientific Model Development (GMD) and its discussion forum Geoscientific Model Development Discussions (GMDD) permits papers related to model development to be grouped in various ways into special issues. The special issue can comprise any number of journals; the special issue editors can be the same or different and from different journals. The manuscript processing follows the standard special issue procedure of the journal in which the manuscript is submitted. All published papers are co/listed on a joint special issue web page (in addition to the regular chronological volume of each journal).
Special issue styles
Authors of model or model-experiment description papers are encouraged to submit subsequent manuscripts describing updated versions of the model or model experiment. Such papers will be grouped together using the special issue format. Papers can be added retrospectively to special issues, and single-paper special issues should be avoided. Thus it is expected that authors request or editors suggest the start of the special issue around the time that the second or third manuscript is submitted.
Alternatively, a special issue may consist of papers describing areas such as different modules, coupling strategies, or numerical advances of a complex model. Similarly, for model-experiment description papers, a special issue may include papers describing the different implementations of the experiment and overviews of model output.
In addition to these novel styles of special issue, the GMD editors will also consider requests for special issues of more traditional style, including the EGU inter-journal special issues, which also include articles in other EGU journals.
Features of GMD special issues:
- All GMD special issues are reviewed by regular GMD editors, and follow the same review process as all submissions to GMD. Papers are published in the regular issues as well as in special issues as soon as the review process is completed.
- One person closely related to the model or model experiment is required to act as coordinator of the special issue. He or she will liaise with the executive editors to discuss all issues related to the contents of the SI.
- It is possible for a single paper to appear in more than one special issue of any style.
- The closing date of the special issue is flexible because individual papers are published as soon as they have gone through the peer-review and publication process. Some special issues, in particular those describing versions of the same model, may remain open indefinitely, as long as the authors still have plans to submit manuscripts describing new model versions.
- All contributions are efficiently linked and coherently presented on dedicated special issue web pages (which may include an appropriate logo) easily accessible from the GMD/GMDD Online Libraries (chronological volumes and issues).
- Print versions are available upon completed publication of all contributions. A minimum order of 20 copies is necessary, and the price will depend on the total number of pages in the special issue.
Special issue proposal
To make arrangements for a special issue (SI), please contact the executive editors and provide the following information:
- title and style of the special issue;
- name of a special issue coordinator;
- start and closing dates for submissions, including information on whether the closing date is to be "indefinite";
- a statement of the purpose of the special issue, whether it arises out of a conference, and whether it will include only invited papers or is open for all submissions within its scope.