Name: Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
Link: pubs.geoscienceworld.org/bssa
Description: The Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (BSSA) is a premier peer-reviewed journal publishing advanced research in earthquake seismology and related disciplines since 1911.
Key Words: seismology, earthquake research, peer-reviewed, seismic waves, hazard analysis, seismotectonics, earthquake engineering
Introduction:
The Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (BSSA), established in 1911, is a leading bimonthly peer-reviewed journal published by the Seismological Society of America (SSA). With an impact factor of 2.9 in 2024, it is recognized as a top-tier publication in the fields of geochemistry and geophysics, ranked 28 out of 100 in its category. BSSA is dedicated to advancing the understanding of seismology and seismic hazard analyses through the publication of original research articles, review papers, and short notes. Its scope encompasses a wide range of topics, including the physics of earthquake processes, seismic wave propagation, ground-shaking analyses, local site effects, seismometry, earthquake hazard and risk estimation, seismotectonics, and earthquake engineering.
BSSA is known for its rigorous peer-review process and in-depth, theoretical treatment of seismological topics, appealing primarily to specialists in the field. The journal publishes detailed scientific papers that explore specific earthquakes, theoretical and observational studies of seismic waves, inverse methods for determining Earth’s structure or earthquake source dynamics, and advancements in seismic instrumentation. It also features special issues on significant earthquakes, such as the 2025 Mw 7.7 Myanmar and Mw 7.1 Tingri earthquakes, or emerging topics like physics-based ground motion simulations, fostering global collaboration and discussion within the seismology community.
Manuscript submissions are managed through an online portal (https://www.editorialmanager.com/bssa/), where authors must adhere to strict guidelines, ensuring papers are original, not previously published, and approved by all co-authors. BSSA encourages high-quality submissions that advance seismological knowledge, with no SSA membership required. Authors are required to provide clear figures, with color options for online publication and grayscale for print, and to follow the Système Internationale (SI) units unless seismology conventions dictate otherwise. The journal also emphasizes proper citation of funding, data, and resources, and supports open science by allowing authors to post their work online 12 months after publication.
BSSA’s global influence is reflected in its high citation metrics, with an h-index of 170 and a SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) of 1.104, placing it in the top quartile (Q1) of its field. It is indexed in major databases like Science Citation Index Expanded, Scopus, and GeoRef, ensuring wide accessibility. The journal’s focus on interdisciplinary research, including geodesy, fault mechanics, and ground motion studies, makes it a critical resource for seismologists, geophysicists, engineers, and policymakers working on earthquake science and societal resilience. Recent articles have explored topics like the 2023 Al Haouz earthquake in Morocco and seismic signals from underground nuclear tests, highlighting BSSA’s role in addressing both historical and cutting-edge issues in seismology.
With a legacy of over a century, BSSA continues to drive scientific integrity, collaboration, and innovation in earthquake science, making it an essential platform for researchers aiming to contribute to the global understanding of seismic phenomena and their implications for society.
