Name: Near Surface Geophysics
Link: https://nsg.eage.org
Description: Near Surface Geophysics is an international peer-reviewed journal publishing research and developments in geophysical methods applied to near-surface investigations, emphasizing practical applications in geoscience and engineering.
Key Words: near-surface geophysics, geophysical methods, geotechnical, environmental, hydrogeological, archaeological, engineering, data processing, inversion, interpretation
Introduction:
Near Surface Geophysics, published by the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE) in collaboration with Wiley, is a premier international journal dedicated to the advancement of geophysical research and applications focused on the near-surface environment. Established to bridge the gap between geophysics and practical applications, the journal has become a key platform for researchers, practitioners, and professionals in fields such as geology, hydrogeology, geotechnical engineering, environmental science, mining, archaeology, and agriculture. It emphasizes the innovative use of geophysical techniques to address real-world challenges in understanding subsurface properties and processes.
The journal publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed research articles, case histories, and technical notes that explore geophysical methods such as seismic refraction tomography, electrical resistivity tomography, ground-penetrating radar, and multichannel analysis of surface waves, among others. These methods are applied to diverse areas, including site characterization, groundwater exploration, environmental monitoring, and archaeological prospection. The journal encourages submissions that demonstrate advancements in instrumentation, data acquisition, processing, modeling, inversion, and interpretation, as well as multidisciplinary approaches that integrate geophysical data with other geoscientific insights. Papers are expected to be accessible not only to geophysicists but also to non-specialists who utilize geophysical data, ensuring broad applicability and clarity.
Near Surface Geophysics operates an online-only publication model since 2022, reflecting a commitment to sustainability by reducing the environmental impact of printed journals. This shift allows the journal to invest in digital innovation and expand its reach through indexing services like ISI, Scopus, and Google, ensuring articles are widely discoverable. The journal’s submission process is managed through ScholarOne (https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/nsg), where authors must adhere to strict guidelines, including providing a concise title, comprehensive abstracts, and editable tables and figures to complement the text. Manuscripts previously presented at conferences, such as the EAGE Near Surface Geoscience meeting, are welcome but must offer fresh insights and data beyond the conference abstract to avoid rejection.
The journal supports open science practices, allowing authors to publish under standard copyright agreements or opt for OnlineOpen with Creative Commons licenses, though open access incurs publication fees. It also permits self-archiving of preprints on non-commercial servers like ArXiv, with the requirement to link to the final published article. With an impact factor of 1.179 in 2014, Near Surface Geophysics maintains a strong reputation for publishing impactful research, supported by an editorial board of distinguished geophysicists, including Editor-in-Chief Mark Vardy and contributors like Maurizio Fedi and Salvatore Piro, who bring expertise in seismic imaging, potential fields, and archaeological geophysics.
By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and emphasizing practical, innovative geophysical applications, Near Surface Geophysics serves as an essential resource for advancing the understanding of the Earth’s near-surface environment, addressing critical societal needs in resource exploration, environmental management, and infrastructure development.
