By the SEG Editor
Revised January 2008

The guidelines for writing and formatting articles for Geophysics have been revised effective January 2008. Keep up with the latest formats with these online instructions. For the complete PDF version (688k), click here.

Table of contents

Editorial policy
Page charges
Writing about Geophysics
Organization of a scientific paper
How to submit a manuscript
Submission, review, and online publication of essential multimedia files
Manuscript preparation
Preparation of illustrations
Review and editing procedures
Geophysics manuscript review and processing schedules
Geophysics Letters
Geophysics sections

EDITORIAL POLICY

Material published in Geophysics should show relevance of an exploration method to petroleum, mining, geothermal, groundwater, environmental, or engineering geophysics. A predominantly mathematical paper should have an illustration or example of its application. Case histories, tutorials, and interpretation papers are of special interest. Manuscripts on fundamental geophysical principles that are relevant for exploration are also welcome. Geophysics should have broad appeal, ranging from practical field studies to more theoretical treatments.

Authors are strongly encouraged to include at least one example of recorded data in the manuscript to illustrate the technology or concept being proposed.

Technical papers, case histories, discussions, tutorials, and review papers are welcome. Technical papers, case histories, and Geophysics Letters require an abstract. With the exception of Geophysics Letters, which are short (see the section on Geophysics Letters later in these guidelines), authors should confine their papers to ten (10) journal pages or fewer, including figures. Papers that exceed ten (10) journal pages may be subject to page charges (see the following section on page charges). The Editor may request that they be shortened. The intent of the length restriction is to improve clarity by encouraging authors to organize and focus their writing. Concise reporting also permits Geophysics to publish a larger number of papers.

All contributions submitted in English are considered regardless of whether the author is a member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists; however, nonmembers generally incur mandatory page charges. A technical contribution is accepted for review with the understanding that (1) it has neither been accepted for publication nor published elsewhere and (2) it is neither currently being considered by another journal nor will be submitted to another journal while under consideration for Geophysics. If prior submission or publication has been to a publication with a very limited audience significantly different from the readership of Geophysics, the Editor may choose to waive these restrictions. It is the authors’ responsibility to inform the Editor of any variance from the status described in (1) or (2) above.

Translations of non-English papers that have been published in or have been submitted to another journal will not be accepted unless specifically solicited by the Editor.

To check the status of a submitted manuscript, authors should check the “Author Center” at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/geophysics. If necessary, authors may contact Sheral Danker (sdanker@seg.org) or Elise Cunningham (ecunningham@seg.org) in the Publications Department of the SEG Business Office.

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PAGE CHARGES

To support the high cost of publication, technical papers, case histories, and research letters published in Geophysics usually incur page charges. Publication of a paper is independent of voluntary page-charge payments, but it is important for each author to honor the page-charge request. Members are requested, but not required, to pay the charges for the first ten (10) pages; however, they must pay all other charges. If none of the authors of a paper is an SEG member in good standing, payment of nonmember page charges is mandatory.

Billing will take place after composition of the paper is complete. No page charges are assessed if a submitted manuscript is not published.

It is SEG’s policy to suspend publication privileges of any author who has a past-due account with the Society.

The exact number of pages in an article cannot be confirmed until shortly before printing. However, a reasonable estimate is the number of words in the text divided by 1000 plus 35% of the number of figures and tables.

For SEG members in good standing, there is a voluntary page charge of $100 for the first ten (10) pages and a mandatory charge of $150 for each additional page. For nonmembers, the mandatory charge is $200 per page for all pages.

Regarding color charges, for members in good standing, there is a voluntary charge of $350 per page up to two pages. For manuscripts with more than two color pages, there is a mandatory charge of $350 per color page for the third color page and each subsequent one. For nonmembers, there is a $350 mandatory charge for each color page.

There are no mandatory charges to members or nonmembers for case histories, tutorials, and discussions. However, authors of papers published in those categories are asked to pay charges voluntarily at member rates.

In addition to these charges, there may be charges for changes requested in the typeset proofs that alter the text in the accepted manuscript. The SEG Publications Department staff will determine such charges from the proofs that reflect the changes. Authors who wish to inquire about these charges should contact the Manager of Geophysics and Books or the Publications Director at the SEG Business Office.

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WRITING ABOUT GEOPHYSICS

Write to inform. Before beginning to write, organize your material carefully. Include all the data necessary to support your conclusions, but exclude redundant or unnecessary data.

Choose the active voice more often than the passive. The passive usually requires more words and sometimes obscures the meaning. Use the first person, not the third person; for single-author papers, the usage of I is preferred, but we will be accepted as well.

Prepare a first draft that includes all the data, arguments, and conclusions that you had planned to cover. Then edit your manuscript carefully. Ask yourself whether the reader will find the text clear and the figures thoroughly integrated with the text. Go through this process at least twice, preparing a new draft each time.

When you are satisfied, ask a colleague — preferably someone not well acquainted with the subject matter — to read your draft. Be prepared for criticism. If one reader does not understand parts of your text, others will have the same problem. Remember, you are thoroughly acquainted with your subject, but your reader is not.

How To Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, sixth edition (2006, Greenwood Press), by Robert A. Day and Barbara Gastel, is a useful guide for preparing and organizing a technical paper.

For details on style and usage, such as capitalization, punctuation, etc., refer to the University of Chicago Press’ The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition.

The dictionaries you should use are Webster’s Third New International Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition.

The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Applied Geophysics, fourth edition, by R. E. Sheriff, is SEG’s standard for terms particular to geophysical technology. It also contains the preferred (SI) units and abbreviations for units. A revised version of the fourth edition was published in 2006.

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ORGANIZATION OF A SCIENTIFIC PAPER

A scientific paper can be divided into sections: title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion, acknowledgments, appendices, and references. There is some flexibility in labeling these components, but they should be clearly identifiable and should follow in order.

Title page
The title is a label, not a sentence. Choose as few words as possible to describe the contents of the paper adequately. Use proper syntax. The first word should be significant and helpful both for classifying and indexing the paper. Company names should not be included in the title. If the title is longer than 38 characters, you must provide (on the title page of the paper) a shortened form of 38 characters or fewer to appear as a running head above alternate pages of the published paper.

List the authors on the title page by full names whenever possible. Please be absolutely sure you have spelled your coauthors’ names correctly. Be sure also to use the form of the names that your coauthors prefer. Include only those who take intellectual responsibility for the work being reported, and exclude those who have been involved only peripherally. The author list should not be used in lieu of an acknowledgments section.

On the title page, also include the authors’ affiliations, including e-mail addresses, and the dates of submission of the original paper and of the revised paper.

Abstract
Please pay particular attention to the preparation of your abstract; use the material in this reference as a guide. Every manuscript other than a discussion must be accompanied by an informative abstract of no more than one paragraph (200 to 300 words). The abstract should be self-contained. No references, figures, tables, or equations are allowed in an abstract. Do not use new terminology in an abstract unless it is defined or is well known from prior publications. SEG discourages the use of commercial names or parenthetical statements. The abstract must not simply list the topics covered in the paper, but should (1) state the scope and principal objectives of the research, (2) describe the methods used, (3) summarize the results, and (4) state the principal conclusions. Do not refer to the paper itself in the abstract.

Remember that the abstract will be the most widely read portion of the paper. Various groups throughout the world publish the abstracts of Geophysics. The abstract must be able to stand alone as a very short version of the paper rather than as a description of the contents. Readers and occasionally even reviewers may be influenced by the abstract to the point of final judgment before the body of the paper is read.

Introduction
The purpose of the introduction is to tell readers why they should want to read what follows the introduction. This section should provide sufficient background information to allow readers to understand the context and significance of the problem. This does not mean, however, that authors should use the introduction to rederive established results or to indulge in other needless repetition. The introduction should (1) present the nature and scope of the problem; (2) review the pertinent literature, within reason; (3) state the objectives; (4) describe the method of investigation; and (5) describe the principal results of the investigation.

For additional guidelines, see J. F. Claerbout, 1991, “A scrutiny of the introduction”: The Leading Edge, 10, 39.

Methods
The methodology employed in the work should be described in sufficient detail so that a competent geophysicist could duplicate the results. More detailed items (e.g., heavy mathematics) often are best placed in appendices. For complex mathematical articles, authors are strongly encouraged to include a table of symbols.

Results
The results section contains applications of the methodology described above. The results of experiments (either physical or computational) are data and can be presented as tables or figures and analyses. Whenever possible, include at least one example of recorded data to illustrate the technology or concept being proposed. Case-history results are usually geologic interpretations.

Selective presentation of results is important. Redundancy should be avoided, and results of minor variations on the principal experiment should be summarized rather than included. Details appearing in figure captions and table heads should not be restated in the text. In a well-written paper, the results section is often the shortest.

Discussion
The discussion section should be separate from the conclusion section. If they are combined, the copy editor of your manuscript is instructed to ask you to separate them. This can result in delays in production. See below for a description of the conclusion section.

Conclusion
The conclusion section should include (1) principles, relationships, and generalizations inferred from the results (but not a repetition of the results); (2) any exceptions to or problems with those principles, relationships, and generalizations, as indicated by the results; (3) agreements or disagreements with previously published work; (4) theoretical implications and possible practical applications of the work; and (5) conclusions drawn (especially regarding significance). In particular, with reference to item (1) above, a conclusion that only summarizes the results is not acceptable.

The conclusion should not include figures, tables, equations, or reference citations.

Figures and tables
Each figure and table must be called out (mentioned) sequentially in the text of the paper. Each figure must have a caption, and each table must have a heading. Captions and headings should be explicit enough that the reader can understand the significance of the illustration or table without reference to the text.

Each illustration and table should be given an Arabic number and should be referred to by that number in the text. In the caption and text, spell out the word Figure and capitalize it when a number follows it. In table headings and text, spell out the word Table and capitalize it when a number follows it.

Footnotes
Footnotes should be avoided unless absolutely essential and then should be held to a minimum. All footnotes introduced in the text of a paper should be numbered consecutively from beginning to end of the manuscript. In the manuscript, each footnote must be inserted at the bottom of the page where the reference appears.

Acknowledgments
If the author includes an acknowledgments section, it is placed after the conclusion and before the appendices (if any) and reference list.

Appendices
An appendix should not be cited in the text in such a way that the appendix is essential to a reader’s understanding of the flow of the main text. See section 1.82 in The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, for further explanation of the content of an appendix. Each appendix should be called out (mentioned) sequentially in the text of the paper by name, i.e., “Appendix A.”

Each appendix should have a substantive title such as “Appendix A — Mathematical Considerations.” In each appendix, number equations and figures beginning with 1: A-1, B-1, etc.

Appendices are placed after acknowledgments and before the reference list.

Reference list
The reference list is placed last in a manuscript, after the acknowledgments and appendices (if any). See the “References” section under “Manuscript Preparation” below for details on reference style.

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HOW TO SUBMIT A MANUSCRIPT

Papers submitted to Geophysics should meet the requirements detailed in this guide. If certain requirements are not met, a paper may be prevented from being accepted for review. Papers most likely to be delayed include those not submitted in double-spaced format and those written in poor English. In such cases, the paper will not be reviewed until the necessary basic requirements are satisfied. To facilitate processing and review, authors are urged to read and carefully follow the procedures described below.

Checklist to avoid common mistakes

• Is the entire paper double-spaced?
• Are all pages numbered?
• Have I followed the requirements for the abstract?
• Have I followed the style instructions for the reference list?
• Have I followed the instructions for labeling figures?
• Does each figure appear on a separate page and are the figures grouped at the end of the manuscript?
• Is a list of figure captions included after the reference section?
• Have I properly numbered equations and followed style guidelines for vectors, matrices, and tensors?

Electronic submission of manuscripts
Manuscripts should be submitted online at http://mc.manu-scriptcentral.com/geophysics. Geophysics uses ScholarOne’s Manuscript Central system for online submission, peer review, and tracking. During the review process, authors use the online system to check paper status, communicate with editors, and submit revisions.

Prepare the manuscript by following these instructions carefully, and save the text of the manuscript in one PDF, PostScript, or Microsoft Word file. Figures may be submitted as TIFF, EPS, or Word files. (Figures submitted in Word, however, are allowed for reviewing purposes only. If the paper is accepted for publication, TIFF or EPS files at a resolution of at least 300 dpi will be required for production.)

Log on at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/geophysics. On the right side of the screen, click “User Tutorials” to obtain the “Author’s Quickstart Guide,” tips for uploading files in Manuscript Central, and other online help for uploading to the system.

When you are ready to upload your manuscript files, enter your “Author Center.” Click on “Click here to submit a new manuscript,” enter the data required, and follow the steps for submitting a manuscript. Be sure to click “Submit” when you finish uploading the files and have previewed the PDF file. When you have completed the uploading process successfully, you will see a confirmation screen that includes the manuscript ID number assigned to your submission. You also will receive an e-mail confirmation within a day, to be saved for future reference.

If you need additional help, click the “Get help now” button in the upper right corner. This link brings up a new window that contains instructions, answers to frequently asked questions, and a method to send a question to the Manuscript Central support team. If necessary, contact Sheral Danker (sdanker@seg.org) or Elise Cunningham (ecunningham@seg.org) at the SEG Business Office, but first you should contact the Manuscript Central support team for assistance. Authors are requested not to address the Editor, Assistant Editors, or Associate Editors directly unless the communication is of a personal nature or is an appeal. Routine communications are handled more efficiently electronically through the peer-review module or the SEG Business Office.

After a paper has been edited, composed, and proofread, it will appear online in advance of print publication.

NOTE: Please bear in mind that the online version of your paper is not another version of the author proof or an opportunity for the author to revise the paper. It is an exact representation of the version that was approved for publication in print. Changes in the online or printed version should be limited to factual or typographical errors serious enough to warrant publication of an erratum. Changes in the online version can result in the paper being withdrawn temporarily from the online site.

Acceptable forms of the manuscript
Manuscripts reviewed online are circulated as PDF documents, although the original files also can be viewed by referees. Authors should submit the manuscript text as a single document in PDF, PostScript, or Microsoft Word. Figures may be submitted as TIFF, EPS, or Word files. (Figures submitted in Word are allowed for reviewing purposes only. If the paper is accepted for publication, TIFF or EPS files at a resolution of at least 300 dpi will be required for production.) The online-submission software automatically combines the Word document with the figure files to create a single PDF file. Creating high-quality PostScript and PDF files from LaTeX files can be problematic. Some helpful suggestions on how to do this are available on the Geophysics page of the SEG Web site.

Once a paper is approved for publication, the author is required to upload the final document (and the completed publication forms) through the “Author Center” at http://mc.manu-scriptcentral.com/geophysics. The publication forms are located at http://seg.org/publications/geophysics/pubforms.shtml. Please complete the forms, scan them, and upload them to the system. If necessary, you may fax the forms to 1-918-497-5557. The paper is not considered accepted until the final documents are uploaded and approved by the DigitalExpert check in the online system.

Accepted manuscripts are located under “Manuscripts accepted for First Look” in the “Author Center.” The authors will click the “Submit updated manuscript” link to update data as needed and upload final documents. When submitting final documents, please check the following:

• Are author names and affiliations on the title page of the paper correct and listed exactly as they should be published?
• Is the right running head listed on the title page of the paper? The right running head is a short version of the title, 38 characters or fewer (including spaces), to be used on pages following the first page of the article.
• Are references formatted correctly?
• Are figures formatted at the correct resolution?
• Are figure files named as the correct figure numbers (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.)?
• Color figures must be submitted in color, and grayscale or black-and-white figures must be submitted in grayscale or black and white accordingly.
• Do not include linking or highlighting within the manuscript.
• If you are uploading TIFF files, have you enabled LZW compression while saving?
• If you are uploading color figures, are they formatted in CMYK (cyan-magenta-yellow-black)?

Preferred formats for production are Microsoft Word and LaTeX, in that order. Please note that this is a change in SEG guidelines. The preferred math program for Word papers is MathType 5.1 or greater. If you do submit a paper in LaTeX, please use the updated SEG/TeX macro. If using BibTeX to create references, authors must run BibTeX before submitting the .tex file and read in or paste the resulting contents of the generated .bbl file within the bibliography section of the .tex file. All LaTeX manuscripts must include the .tex file and a PDF generated by that file. LaTeX files will be converted to Microsoft Word documents in the production process.

When submitting your final files, please identify software used.

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SUBMISSION, REVIEW, AND ONLINE PUBLICATION OF ESSENTIAL MULTIMEDIA FILES

Geophysics authors may submit movie, sound, and other types of ancillary files for publication along with the manuscripts they are intended to augment. These files should be uploaded to the online peer-review system along with the manuscript. A note accompanying the submission should indicate that an ancillary file has been submitted for review with the intention that it be published online with the paper. If the manu-script and the ancillary file are accepted for publication, the file will be published online in conjunction with the paper.

Essential multimedia
Essential multimedia files are peer reviewed and are considered to be necessary to an article to support the science presented in the article. In addition, it is believed that a complete understanding of the article is not possible without viewing or hearing the multimedia file. Because of this, essential multimedia files must be archived with the article and are therefore subject to a set of policies and procedures designed to ensure the archival integrity of these files.

When preparing multimedia files as essential multimedia, authors need to understand that for proper archiving, limitations must be placed on the types of files that can be submitted with the manuscript. Acceptable essential multimedia files can be QuickTime Nonstreaming, MPEG, or DV files. AVI files are not acceptable at this time as essential archival multimedia files. Detailed information is provided below.

Video submissions
Geophysics accepts video submitted only as digital files. Acceptable file formats include QuickTime Nonstreaming (.qt or .mov), MPEG (.mpg), and DV (.dv). The preferred formats are .mov and .mpg. Details about each of these file formats are outlined below.

Video files should be named [filename.xxx].

In addition, a representative “still” image taken from the video is required for use as a placeholder for the video file in PDFs and print. This still image is not intended to convey meaning about the content of the video; rather, it will be used as a static representation of the video file. Care should be taken to extract an image from the video which has reasonable clarity of fine lines and details. Acceptable file formats for still images are PS (.ps), EPS (.eps), and TIFF (.tif). Still images should be named [filename.xxx].

Important note about AVI (.avi) video files: Multimedia files typically are created and encoded in a compressed format. Many of the compression algorithms used to create AVI files are proprietary and result in files that do not pass AIP’s archival policies and procedures. At the current time, AVI video files are not considered acceptable for essential multimedia because they do not pass the platform’s archival tests. Most applications offer the option of saving multimedia in a variety of formats. When saving a video file, authors should use the “Save As…” option and select .qt, .mpg, .mov, or .dv as the file type.

Audio submissions
Geophysics also accepts digital audio files as essential multimedia. Acceptable file formats include PCM (.pcm), WAV (.wav), AIFF (.aif), and MP3 (.mp3) at 128 Kbs or greater. Audio files should be named [filename.xxx].

General guidelines for all multimedia submissions
At this time, the online journal platform (Scitation) on which Geophysics is published has not specified a maximum file size for submission; however, authors are strongly encouraged to adhere to the following guidelines when they prepare their files:

• The acceptable file formats outlined above are playable using standard media players such as QuickTime and Windows Media Player. Media players should be used to check file properties and image/sound quality prior to submission. Fonts, lines, and image details in video submission should be of sufficient size and weight to be visible when played at half size.
• Attention should be paid to the file size to make download time reasonable because streaming formats are not acceptable for submission at this time. A recommended target size for each multimedia file is 3–5 MB.
• Authors are encouraged to use one of the accepted compression codecs to minimize file sizes.
• Animations must be formatted into a standard video file.

Metadata
When you submit your media file, you will be asked for some information about it. You will be required to submit a caption or description of the content of the media file. This is similar to a typical figure caption. You are invited to submit optional metadata, as outlined in the table below. Please submit a table with this information along with each submitted media file.

Metadata elements

Multimedia detailed specifications

Acceptable essential multimedia video file formats

QuickTime nonstreaming (.qt or .mov)

24-bit (millions) color

Video compressor/codec:

Audio:

MPEG

Video compressor/codec:

Audio:

DV (.dv)

NTSC video parameters:

PAL video parameters:

Acceptable essential multimedia audio file formats

PCM, WAV, AIFF, MP3 (at 128 KB or greater)

Audio parameters:

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MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

Spacing and paragraphs
Manuscripts must be double-spaced in 12-point type. Double-space all parts of the manuscript, including the abstract, footnotes, quoted material, references, and figure captions. Each paragraph must be indented.

Page numbers
Page numbers must appear on all pages of text, including references, figure captions, and tables.

Page length, line width, and margins
Each page should have no more than 30 lines of type, with no line exceeding six (6) inches in length. Ample margins should be left at the top, bottom, and sides.

Meeting citations
If your technical paper was presented at an SEG meeting, please note that on the title page. The presentation will be cited on the title page in the journal with the number of the meeting, organization, and date.

Headings
It is necessary for you to distinguish the categories of headings in your manuscript so your intentions will be clear to the editors and typesetters. Please follow the guidelines below.

• Place principal headings (Category 1 heads) at the center of the page in capital letters.
• Place Category 2 heads at the left margin (without indentation) in boldface type, with only the first word of the heading and proper nouns capitalized. Start the text that follows on the next line and indent it.
• Place Category 3 heads at the left margin (without indentation) in italics, with only the first word of the heading and proper nouns capitalized. Start the text that follows on the next line and indent it.
• If headings of still lower rank are necessary, indent, underline (or italicize), place a period and dash after the heading, and follow with text on the same line.
• Do not number sections of the text. Refer to sections by name or content, e.g., “Discussion on deconvolution.”

Figures and tables
In the manuscript, figures should not be embedded in the text but should be collected at the end of the manuscript, with each figure on a separate page (see the section “Preparation of Illustrations”). Figure captions should be listed on a separate sheet at the end of the manuscript.

Tables should not be included within the text but should follow the manuscript, with each table in a separate digital file. Other types of lists may be run within the text.

Examples of style for terms
 

* Hyphenate as an adjective; e.g., finite-difference method.

Examples of style in text

• Use American English spelling, e.g., modeling, color, analyze, behavior, etc.
• Each sentence must begin with a capital letter. Lowercase Greek letters, mathematical symbols, or numerals may not be used to begin a sentence.
• Use a semicolon before the adverbial conjunctions however, thus, hence, therefore, etc., in compound sentences.
• Use a semicolon between independent clauses not joined by a conjunction.
• Do not use a colon when an equation or list comes immediately after a verb or preposition.
• Operator symbols serve as verbs.
• Equations are punctuated as sentences and should be numbered.
• The abbreviations et al., i.e., and e.g. are set off with commas, except when et al. is used in a text reference. In that case only, the preceding comma is omitted.
• Extensive use of italics in text is discouraged; use them only for the most necessary emphasis.
• Do not use italics for foreign and Latin words that have become common in English usage, e.g., a priori, et al. Check Webster’s Third New International Dictionary or Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, to determine if the term is in common English usage.
• Use quotation marks to refer to a special term only the first time the term appears.
• Hyphens are not generally used in words formed with prefixes; e.g., antisymmetric, multidip, nonlinear, semimajor, subbottom, prestack, poststack, pseudosection, etc. Check Webster’s Third New International Dictionary or Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition.
• Hyphens are not used between adverbs ending in ly and the words they modify, e.g., horizontally layered.
• Do not use newly invented acronyms or trade names to describe your technique. Widely used trade names that appear in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Applied Geophysics, fourth edition (e.g., microlog), are acceptable.
• Use symbols for percent (%) and degree (°) in the text as well as in mathematical expressions, tables, or figures.
• Spell out points of the compass, e.g., east-west, north-northwest.
• In a series of three or more items, a comma (or a semicolon, where appropriate) follows each item, including the one that precedes and.

Examples of style for units
Physical quantities should be expressed in SI units. When field measurements were obtained or equipment was specified with different units, the value of non-SI units can be specified in parentheses following the SI units, e.g., 2200 m/s (7200 ft/s). Do not carry more significant figures in the unit conversion than in the original measurement. For example, note that 7200 ft/s converts to 2200 m/s, not 2195 m/s.

All of the following conform to SI metric standards:

s for second
Wm or ohm-m for ohm-meter
S/m for siemens/meter
Hz as unit, hertz as word
A as unit, ampere as word
F as unit, farad as word
H as unit, henry as word
V as unit, volt as word
J as unit, joule as word
N as unit, newton as word
W as unit, watt as word
Pa as unit, pascal as word
m/s for meter per second (not ms^-1)
1000 (no comma)
times sign (x) instead of dot for multiplication
space between number and unit (10 m, not 10m)
mGal (not mgal) for abbreviation, milligal for word
ms for millisecond
GHz for gigahertz
MHz for megahertz
kHz for kilohertz
cm for centimeter
mm for millimeter
µm for micrometer
µs for microsecond
nm for nanometer
pm for picometer

The exceptions to SI units listed below are acceptable if SI units follow them in parentheses:

bar as pressure unit
darcy as permeability unit
ft
ft/s
gamma as magnetic-field intensity unit
mi
ms/ft

Mathematical material
One of the most complicated and expensive operations in publishing Geophysics is typesetting mathematical formulas. Because Geophysics is now tagged in XML to facilitate online delivery, some rerendering of equations may occur. However, every effort is made to ensure that all mathematical symbols and terms appear in the galley proof just as the author created them (see the section “Acceptable forms of the manuscript” for instructions on submitting manuscripts in LaTeX). You can help reduce these costs by writing equations in their simplest forms. Often, a complicated expression can be simplified if various terms are assigned symbols that are defined individually. For some good examples, see the paper by Nelson in Geophysics, 53, 1088–1095.

Fractional exponents should be used instead of radicals wherever feasible. Radicals are preferred, however, for simple square roots, e.g., rather than 2^1/2.

When there is any doubt that subscripts and superscripts will be clear to the typesetter, they should be indicated by carets and inverted carets, for example,

To standardize space and time coordinates, use lowercase letters x, y, z for Cartesian space coordinates. Designate corresponding axes by x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, and designate the time coordinate by t. To represent traveltime and finite changes in traveltime, use t and Δt rather than T and ΔT. All axis coordinates on figures must be indicated and should be consistent with the text.

Equations that cannot be placed on one line must be broken only at the operator symbols. The sign should be placed at the start of the second line.

Terms in equations are grouped with the following symbols: parentheses ( ), brackets [ ], and braces {}. For example, X = {2R + [(k + 1)(k + 2)]²}^1/2.

The typesetter is instructed to set all mathematical symbols and all isolated letters in the text in italic type, if there are no markings to the contrary. Use italics for all symbols for scalar quantities, including those represented by Greek letters. Please note that vectors are set in boldface lowercase roman (regular) letters, whereas matrices and tensors are set in boldface capital roman letters. Uppercase boldface letters also may be used for vectors, and lowercase boldface letters may be used for tensors, if such use is customary. Different fonts may be used to further distinguish scalars, vectors, tensors, and matrices.

Here are some ways you can facilitate the processing of your article: (1) Set all letters (including Greek) representing scalar quantities in italics. Do not use italics for such items as sin, cos, max, min, etc. Do not use italics for letters representing units of measurement: ms, ft, etc. (2) Set all vector quantities in bold lowercase except as otherwise noted, as in the case of electromagnetic fields.

All displayed equations should be numbered sequentially throughout the manuscript. When referring to an equation in text, please identify it with a phrase that could serve to identify the type of equations throughout the text, as shown in the following example:

Without phrase: “inserting equations 5 and 6 into equation 9 ...”

With phrase: “inserting the form, equation 5, of the electric field E and the Lindhard form, equation 6, of the dielectric function e into the constitutive equation 9 ...”

Equation numbers in the text should not be shown in parentheses, e.g., “As shown in equation 10.” (However, the equation number at the right margin of the column should be enclosed in parentheses.) A mention of the equation number in the text must be accompanied by equation, expression, or another synonym to identify the number itself. Equations in Appendix A should be numbered with the prefix A-, e.g., “equation A-1.” Equations should be punctuated as sentences or parts of sentences. Please consult The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, sections 14.22–14.24, for correct punctuation of equations.

For complicated and detailed mathematical papers, authors are encouraged to include a table near the beginning of the paper to define their mathematical symbols. Authors are also strongly encouraged to place complicated and detailed mathematics in appendices.

References
Authors are requested to be meticulous in following instructions for references, which typically require more editing than any other section of the manuscript. In addition, accuracy and proper form are essential so that references in online Geophysics papers will link to the sources cited. Authors who do not follow guidelines for references can expect a delay in publication because the article may be returned for revision to proper style.

Citation of previous work acknowledges the importance of those investigations and makes available to the reader much more background information than is practical to include in a single paper. However, to be of real value, all references must be readily accessible to the reader. If internal reports with wide circulation constitute an important reference, cite them in the text but not in the reference list, e.g., (G. M. Levy, 1984, Geonics Ltd. Tech., note TN-16). Similarly, citations of personal communications, including papers submitted to a journal but not yet accepted, may be placed in the text but not in the reference list. Cite personal communications with initial(s), surname, and year, e.g. (J. Smith, personal communication, 2006).

In the text, literature citations should show the author’s name followed by the year of publication in parentheses, e.g., Nettleton (1940). If the author’s name is not referred to in the text, it and the year should be inserted in parentheses at the point where the reference applies: (Nettleton, 1940).

If there is more than one reference to the same author at a given point in the text, list the years in chronological order with a comma and space between. When more than one author is referenced at a given point in the text, separate the references by a semicolon and a space. If a specific page is referenced, include the page number within the parentheses, after the year (Nettleton, 1940, p. 142).

References should be grouped alphabetically under the heading “References” at the end of the article, after the acknowledgments and appendices (if any). References should be alphabetized according to sections 16.81–16.83 in The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, i.e., a single-author work precedes a multiauthor work beginning with the same author’s name. For a given author referenced more than once for the same year, use the suffixes a, b, etc., after the year of publication to distinguish references. References with identical authorship should be listed in chronological order.

Material in preparation, submitted, or not yet accepted and scheduled for publication should not be included in the references. Material accepted for publication may be cited as a reference if its publication date has been established, but it will be necessary to double-check the status of the material before your article is published. If the material has not yet been published, it should be cited only as a personal communication.

References not cited in the text should not be included in the reference list unless the paper is of a survey or tutorial nature. Under such circumstances, those references should be grouped separately under the heading “References for General Reading.”

In the reference list, the form and punctuation shown in the examples below will be observed. Please note that (1) SEG no longer abbreviates titles of journals and names of institutions and publishers and (2) initials of secondary authors’ names precede surnames.

For types of references not included below, follow the guidelines for author-date citations in The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition.

Papers from journals

Kosloff, D. D., and E. Baysal, 1982, Forward modeling by a Fourier method: Geophysics, 47, 1402–1412.

Rouse, W. C., A. J. Reading, and R. P. D. Walsh, 1986, Volcanic soil properties in Dominica, West Indies: Engineering Geology, 23, 1–28.

Guitton, A., 2005, Multiple attenuation in complex geology with a pattern-based approach: Geophysics, 70, no. 5, V97–V107.

Capitalize only the first word of the title and proper nouns. Do not use quotation marks unless they are actually part of the title. Do not underline or use italics. Show the volume numbers in bold, omit the issue number, and show beginning and ending page numbers or article numbers if the journal does not use page numbers. For references to Geophysics papers since the beginning of 2005, however, include the issue number after the volume number.

Papers from magazines

Castagna, J. P., 1993, Petrophysical imaging using AVO: The Leading Edge, 12, 172–179.

Follow the instructions for papers from journals. If each issue of the magazine begins with page 1, include the issue number after the volume number, e.g., no. 3.

Books

Davis, P. J., and P. Rabinowitz, 1975, Methods of numerical integration: Academic Press Inc.

Follow the instructions for papers from journals. Reference the full name of the publisher. Do not reference the city of publication or the number of pages in the book.

Articles in books

Baker, D. W., and N. L. Carter, 1972, Seismic velocity anisotropy calculated for ultramafic minerals and aggregates, in H. C. Heard, I. V. Borg, N. L. Carter, and C. B. Raleigh, eds., Flow and fracture of rocks: American Geophysical Union Geophysical Monographs 16, 157–166.

Theses and dissertations

Lodha, G. S., 1974, Quantitative interpretation of airborne electromagnetic response for a spherical model: M.S. thesis, University of Toronto.

Reference to a thesis or dissertation requires neither the name of the department nor the number of pages.

Discussions

Zhou, B., 1992, Discussion on: “The use of Hartley transform in geophysical applications,” R. Saatcilar, S. Ergintav, and N. Canitez, authors: Geophysics, 57, 196–197.

Electronic material

Hellman, H., 1998, Great feuds in science: Ten of the liveliest disputes ever: John Wiley & Sons, e-book.

Electronic journal citation with access date

Mungall, J. E., and J. J. Hanley, 2004, Origins of outliers of the Huronian Super group within the Sudbury Structure: Journal of Geology, 112, 59–70, accessed March 20, 2006; http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JG/journal/contents/v112n1.html?erFrom=5036588460214438945Guest.

Linking

Shindell, D., G. Faluvegi, N. Bell, and G. Schmidt, 2005, An emissions-based view of climate forcing by methane and tropospheric ozone: Geophysical Research Letters, 32, L04803, accessed March 31, 2006; http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2005/2004GL02100.shtml; http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004¬GL021900.

Web site (or part of Web site)

Roemmich, D., 1990, Sea-level change, http://www.nap.edu/books/0309040396/html, accessed July 14, 2003.

References to electronic material should include (1) the standard information, (2) the format (e-book, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.), and (3) the date of access if it is an online source. If an online-only source has a digital object identifier (DOI), the DOI must be used to cite it.

Oral presentations that are not published in a proceedings or abstract volume

Hubbard, T. P., 1979, Deconvolution of surface recorded data using vertical seismic profiles: Presented at the 49th Annual International Meeting, SEG.

Do not include city.

Expanded abstracts

Constable, S. C., 1986, Offshore electromagnetic surveying techniques: 56th Annual International Meeting, SEG, Expanded Abstracts, 81–82.

References to proceedings of many conferences are appropriate only if these proceedings are generally available to the reader. Authors are requested to avoid such references to material of limited availability. The SEG Expanded Abstracts do qualify as references because of their general accessibility.

Patents

Williams, K. E., 2007, Method and system for combining seismic data and basin modeling: U. S. Patent 7 280 918.

After name, indicate the year the patent was granted.

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PREPARATION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

All illustrations must be submitted in electronic format. Illustrations submitted after the paper is accepted must meet the specifications listed below. Papers may be delayed or rejected if these illustration guidelines are not followed.

Size

• Is each illustration designed for Geophysics column sizes? (Standard sizes are 20 picas, or 3.33 inches, for one-column figures and 26 picas, or 4.33 inches, for one-and-one-third-column figures at required resolution.)

Type

• Are all graph labels in the same eight-point sans serif font such as Arial or Helvetica?
• Is the first letter of graph labels capitalized?
• Are the abscissa and ordinate of each graph labeled and are units denoted in parentheses?
• Is there a title heading for each graph?
• Are the graph’s style, font, and format consistent with those in other figures, especially similar figures?
• Is lettering within figures legible and not too large or too small?
• Do labels on vertical axes read from bottom to top when the page is held vertically (from left to right when you rotate the page clockwise 90˚) and are they centered vertically?

The body of illustrations should not contain titles or other textual material that can be placed in the caption. Exceptions to this rule will be considered only when clarity demands. Use standard Geophysics abbreviations in labeling scales.

Resolution

• Are all illustrations submitted in EPS or TIFF format with color and grayscale images at a resolution of at least 300 dots per inch (dpi) and line art of at least 600 dpi (1200 dpi is preferred)? A graphics-editing application such as Adobe Photoshop may be helpful for preparing illustrations. Several shareware or freeware applications are available.

Color

• Are color figures formatted using CMYK (cyan-magenta-yellow-black), not RGB (red-green-blue)?
• Are grayscale or black-and-white figures submitted in grayscale or black and white?

General preparation tips

• Are the author’s last name and the figure number included in the margin of each figure for identification?
• Is the correct orientation of the printed figure indicated? Use an upward-pointing arrow to show orientation.
• Is each figure submitted in a separate digital file, named according to the figure number?

Do not embed figures in documents. Do not submit figures in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Canvas. Canvas files, especially the earlier versions of Canvas, are not stable when converted to the format necessary for printing. This can necessitate time-consuming and expensive manipulations. Please do not produce figures by making straightforward screen dumps of the graphic output of a software package. This usually results in unnecessary decorations, gray background, unreadable axes and labels, overlapping labels, or low resolution. If the software has no other way of generating graphic output, high-resolution screen-dump images are allowed as part of the figures if unnecessary details are removed, proper axes and labels are added, and consistent formats are used for similar figures.

Permission to reprint figures and tables
Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to use figures and tables previously published in other books or journals. Letters from the copyright holders granting permission should accompany the manuscript. It is also the responsibility of the author to check reproduced materials against the originals for absolute accuracy.

Figure examples

Sample figure at low resolution
 

Sample figure at high resolution
 

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REVIEW AND EDITING PROCEDURES

Legal status of papers in review
A paper, including any essential multimedia, submitted to Geophysics for publication is legally the property of the author until the copyright assignment is executed and received in Tulsa. This does not occur until shortly before the paper is accepted for publication. Until then, reviewers and other members of the editorial staff cannot legally use the paper for any purpose other than the review process. It may not be shown, copied for personal use, or commercialized in any way. In the interest of personal protection for Associate Editors and SEG, these guidelines should be followed, although no known instances of misuse of papers in review have occurred.

Peer review
If the SEG Editor or an Assistant Editor decides that a submitted manuscript is relevant for Geophysics, it is sent to an appropriate Associate Editor, who selects two or three knowledgeable, unbiased people to review the paper in detail. The reviewers send their comments to the Associate Editor, who forwards them, along with a recommendation, to an Assistant Editor. After considering the reviewers’ comments and the Associate Editor’s opinion and recommendation, the Editor or an Assistant Editor corresponds with the author. The Editor accepts, rejects, or requests modifications in the paper and sends the reviewers’ and Associate Editor’s comments to the author. (Reviewers are anonymous unless they choose to be identified.)

Because few papers are accepted for publication without author revisions, a second review is usually necessary (except in the case of Geophysics Letters, which will be discussed below). Depending on the extent of the revisions, the Associate Editor may check the changes or seek additional reviews. To keep Geophysics timely, the Editor, Assistant Editors, and Associate Editors ask reviewers to submit comments promptly. If a reviewer cannot meet this schedule or decides not to review a paper after its receipt, Sheral Danker or Elise Cunningham in the Publications Department should be notified immediately.

Online peer review
Associate Editors invite reviewers via e-mail through the online peer review system (http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/geophysics).

Manuscripts are distributed in PDF format through the system, although original files are also available to reviewers. Reviewers download the manuscript for review. In the online review form, there is a space for comments directed to the author(s). This is a required field. These comments are also available to the Associate Editor. There is also a space for confidential comments to the editors, if needed. In addition, reviewers can upload separate documents to be viewed by the author(s) and editors.

If a reviewer’s comments include equations or figures, they must be uploaded as a separate document because the online review form cannot accommodate complex equations or figures.

Reviewers can create a PDF file bearing their annotations and upload it as a separate document. If the author’s paper was submitted in Word, reviewers can annotate it in Word and upload the annotated file. Alternatively, reviewers can use Adobe Acrobat editing tools for annotating an electronic copy of the manuscript and then upload that. Reviewers may choose to annotate a hard copy of the manuscript, scan it to a PDF, and then upload the PDF. If they lack the resources to scan a paper to PDF, they may annotate a hard copy of the manuscript and mail it to Sheral Danker or Elise Cunningham at the SEG Business Office. These annotated hard copies will be scanned and uploaded as separate documents to be viewed by Associate Editors and authors. Reviewers should use black ink and should write legibly when making annotations.

Reviewer’s responsibilities
A reviewer has the following equally important responsibilities:

• To evaluate the work’s importance and relevance to geophysics. If the work is fundamental research, has the author clearly demonstrated why others in our community should find the results interesting? If the work is applied research or a case study, would readers learn anything from it? Case histories do not need to include new technology, but they should emphasize the impact the geophysical work had on a play, area, commodity, or technique. The impact determines the degree of reader interest and should weigh heavily in a reviewer’s evaluation.
   
• To critique scientific quality. Are the author’s conclusions supported by the evidence presented? Were sound geophysical principles employed? Is previously published information presented as new material? Are there any flaws in the author’s reasoning or mathematics? Was the experiment done carefully and with proper controls? Are all assumptions clearly stated?
   
• To ensure that the material is communicated effectively and efficiently. Is the paper free of ambiguity? Are new concepts explained in sufficient detail? Are redundancies present? Does every part of the paper contribute to its theme? Are figures self-explanatory and well labeled? Are there large gaps in reasoning and mathematical developments? Are appendices needed?
   
  A reviewer is not expected to rewrite a paper that is poorly written and structured; that is the job of the author, with help from the editors. The reviewer should try to identify problem areas, especially those that are difficult to understand and in which the technical information is not communicated clearly. Comments such as “This paragraph is confusing,” “This section seems out of place,” or “Awkward style” are often appropriate. Whenever possible, reviewers should be specific in identifying what is confusing or questionable.
   
• To provide constructive feedback to authors. Criticism offered objectively can result in effective revisions and consequently a worthwhile paper. Conversely, blunt and brutal statements may insult and discourage an author and result in the loss of a useful contribution. A paper should not be rejected solely because the reviewer does not agree with an author’s conclusions, comments, or interpretation. Instead, the reviewer should list objections and ask the author to address them in the revision. The reviewer should refrain from derogatory comments and should make constructive suggestions to improve the paper.

Editing
Accepted manuscripts are edited by an Associate Editor, the reviewers, the Editor, and the copy editor. It is the common goal of these people to improve the effectiveness of communication between the author’s work and the reader. It is never the intention to change the technical nature of the author’s paper. The editing is intended to remove ambiguities in wording and generally to improve the clarity of meaning.

If extensive editing is required to achieve this goal, the edited manuscript will be returned to the author for review, to avoid the possibility that the editing changed technical meaning. Manuscripts are also returned if they do not adhere to style guidelines or if editing of mathematics or references is extensive. Final approval by the author of such revisions is required before the paper is formatted for publication.

Galley proofs (the formatted paper as it will look in Geophysics) are e-mailed in PDF format to the author, a Special Editor, and the SEG publication staff for review. Authors are advised to read proofs carefully because that is their last opportunity to make changes. However, at that stage, changes should be kept to a minimum. Costs associated with any rewriting of the paper by the author will be billed to the author.

Reprints
A link to order reprints is sent to authors electronically with galley proofs and is also available on the SEG Web site at http://seg.org/publications/reprints.

Discussions
Discussions of a paper published in Geophysics are screened by an Associate Editor and then sent to the author of that paper for a reply. To avoid delaying publication, the author is requested not to include any subjects in his reply that are not addressed in the discussion. If no reply is received, the discussion will be published without one. Galley proofs are sent to the authors of the discussion and the reply.

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GEOPHYSICS MANUSCRIPT REVIEW AND PROCESSING SCHEDULES

Geophysics editors and the SEG publication staff have made strong efforts to reduce the review and publication turnaround times. These efforts, including adoption of online manuscript handling, creation of rapid review sections, and implementation of shorter turnaround schedules (since 2005), have produced significant results. Geophysics is now a leader among its peers in efficiency.

The deadlines for editors, authors, and SEG staff are enforced actively. If an author misses deadlines, the paper will be withdrawn. The author still can submit the revised paper as a new manuscript, however. In that case, if the author alerts the SEG staff when submitting the revision shortly after the due date, the staff will try to contact the Assistant Editor and Associate Editor so previous reviews are accounted for. (SEG cannot guarantee that previous reviews will be accounted for, however.) SEG hopes that enforcing a rigorous turnaround schedule and offering assistance for continuity of review of overdue papers resubmitted as new papers are reasonable compromises between flexibility and the need to avoid indefinite delays by some editors and authors. SEG also hopes these steps are worth the extra effort by authors, editors, and the SEG editorial staff to improve the overall quality and efficiency of the journal.

These are the turnaround times for authors:

• submitting the revision requested by the Assistant Editor: five weeks for a minor/moderate revision, eight weeks for a moderate revision, 10 weeks for a moderate/major revision
• submitting responses to the copy editor’s queries: 72 hours
• submitting revisions on the PDF of the proofs: seven business days

For more information about turnaround times in the review cycle, see http://seg.org/publications/geophysics/schedules.shtml.

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Geophysics LETTERS

Since 2005, Geophysics has published articles classified as “Geophysics Letters,” which are published on an accelerated schedule (typically no more than eight months from submission to publication). These concise articles present important scientific advances likely to have immediate influence on the research of other investigators. In addition to authors in the applied geophysics research community, scientists in other fields with advances that will affect research in applied geophysical sciences are encouraged to publish in Geophysics Letters.

The guidelines for organizing and submitting any Geophysics article apply to letters also, including the requirement that the paper include an abstract. In addition, the following are requirements specific to Geophysics Letters:

• Authors must designate a Geophysics Letters submission as such when submitting the paper.
• Authors must identify at least four potential reviewers.
• In the cover letter, authors should include a clear statement as to why the manuscript is suitable to be published in Geophysics Letters.

Geophysics Letters papers cannot exceed four typeset pages. (A general guideline for estimating the length of a printed article is to divide the number of words by 1000 and then add 35% of the number of figures and tables.)

Manuscripts submitted to Geophysics Letters will be expected to meet high standards with respect to language. No editorial resources will be available to assist authors in this regard prior to acceptance.

To meet rapid turnaround requirements, manuscripts may be returned to authors without being sent out for review if the editorial team considers them unsuitable for Geophysics Letters because of content or format. In such cases, authors may consider submitting the manuscripts as ordinary papers in Geophysics.

An Assistant Editor and six Associate Editors will handle papers submitted as Geophysics Letters on topics including acquisition and processing; modeling, imaging, and inversion; reservoir characterization, time lapse, and rock physics; borehole geophysics and acoustics; and interpretation, earth models, and geology.

The Associate Editor will have four days to assign reviewers, who will then have 14 days to review the manuscript. An article submitted to Geophysics Letters typically will receive only one cycle of review. The article can be accepted as is or marked for minor revision. (Papers that need major revision will be rejected.) The author then will have seven days to submit revisions.

Once a Geophysics Letters manuscript is approved for publication, authors must upload the final documents, as well as the publication forms, to the online system. Digital submission requirements detailed elsewhere in “Instruction to Authors” will be enforced rigorously.

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Geophysics SECTIONS

Below are descriptions of the Geophysics sections to supplement general technical requirements and acceptability criteria espoused in the section on editorial policy. The sections are only an approximate guide for categorizing papers. A paper suitable for publication in Geophysics might not necessarily fit perfectly into any of the existing sections, or it might fit well into more than one section. Categories and their descriptions can change, based on the evolving interest in the exploration geophysics community.

A — Geophysics Letters
The Letters section accepts concise articles that report important scientific advances likely to have an immediate impact on the research of others. Letters will be restricted to four or fewer typeset pages, and the review and publication cycle typically will be less than eight months. The Geophysics Letters section caters to the applied-geophysics research community. Scientists from other fields but with important results or advances that will have a bearing on research in the broader field of the applied geophysical sciences also are encouraged to publish in the section.

B — Case Histories
Case histories demonstrate, in comprehensive exploration settings, important applications of new geophysical techniques, workflows, or tools. Novel practical applications of existing processing or interpretation techniques to new exploration environments are also welcome.

Various other sections also might include case histories with appropriate emphasis. See, for example, the description of the "Interpretation Methods" section.

C — Amplitude Variation with Offset (AVO)
Papers in the "Amplitude Variation with Offset" category present new and significant methodologies and results on acquisition, processing, or interpretation of seismic-amplitude data for discerning properties of the subsurface. Also welcome are tutorials and case histories with clear, concise explanations of common or best practice for acquisition, processing, or interpretation of AVO information.

See also the descriptions of the "Interpretation Methods" section and the "Seismic Attributes and Pattern Recognition" section.

D — Anisotropy
The "Anisotropy" section invites contributions that discuss the importance of accounting for seismic anisotropy in exploration and development of oil and gas reservoirs. Papers could describe the influence of elastic anisotropy on seismic data as well as techniques for estimating anisotropy and building anisotropic velocity models of the subsurface. Also of interest are papers on laboratory measurements of anisotropy and theoretical developments aimed at establishing relationships between seismically observed anisotropy and its underlying physical causes, such as fine layering, fractures, or stresses. Case studies illustrating applicability of various techniques in real conditions are particularly welcome.

E — Borehole Geophysics and Rock Properties
Papers in this section fall into two separate but related areas. One area is borehole geophysics, dealing with measurements made in the borehole. These can be seismic (e.g., VSPs and crosswells), acoustic, EM, and other logging methods. Of interest are papers dealing with both the theory of measurements and the processing methodologies of those measurements. Also welcome are papers on integration of different types of downhole measurements to characterize the formation and on the critical role played by those measurements when integrated with other types of data.

Another area in this category of papers is rock properties, including measurement of rock properties, usually but not exclusively on cores. Also welcome are papers that deal with theoretical, computational, and empirical models of rocks and sediments that relate measurements to properties of the solid matrix, pore space and shape, fluids, and other pore-filling materials as well as variations of the properties with temperature, pressure/stress, and digenesis. The adequacy of the models to deal with multiple scale applications and different measurement frequencies is also of interest.

F — Electrical and Electromagnetic Methods
This section is intended for well-written, innovative, and self-contained papers relevant to exploration and production, near surface, mining, and other areas of applied geophysics. Articles must be founded on well-stated assumptions and must include a motivating introduction. Conclusions must be based firmly on reproducible scientific evidence presented in the paper.

A successful paper shall demonstrate significant potential to advance the current state of practice in electrical and electromagnetic geophysics in areas including but not limited to geologic interpretation, imaging and inversion, data processing, and forward modeling. Case histories, review papers, tutorials, and expositions are welcome, as are papers which integrate geologic, other geophysical, and petrophysical constraints.

G — Engineering and Environmental Geophysics
The "Engineering and Environmental Geophysics" section is committed to advancing the science of near-surface geophysics through rigorous, quantitative analysis methodologies. Papers are accepted on topics that include development of new theoretical concepts, new data-processing algorithms and strategies, methodological advances, and exemplary illustrations of new applications of existing methods. Authors are encouraged to include examples of field application in all papers. Pure case studies should be submitted to the "Case Histories" section.

H — Geophysical Software and Algorithms
"Geophysical Software and Algorithms" papers must describe a useful algorithm for solving a problem of geophysical significance. Papers should describe a problem, how the algorithm is meant to solve the problem, and the workings of the algorithm itself. Readable and well-documented source code must be included as part of the submission, along with sufficient supporting files to allow computer-literate readers to run and verify the code.

The source code and supporting documentation do not need to be included in the text of the paper itself but will be reviewed as an integral part of the submission. The problem description, solution method, algorithm, and source code might each have been published elsewhere before, but the combination of all of them together should represent a new and unpublished contribution. The paper must follow the format of the paper described in the August 2005 issue of Geophysics, written by Joe Dellinger.

I — Gravity Exploration Methods
The "Gravity Exploration Methods" section will consider papers on theory, interpretation methods, and applications for a broad range of geophysical gravity problems — from problems helping with direct exploration to those illustrating how geologic and even deep-earth parameters might influence near-surface observed gravity. With few exceptions, applications illustrating the use of methods on real data sets will be necessary.

Papers containing small, step improvements on previous methods are not encouraged but could be considered when significant level of improvements have been achieved. Papers containing only case histories of the gravity method should be submitted to the "Case Histories" section.

J — Ground-Penetrating Radar
In this section, papers should show new ideas and methods for using GPR techniques in surface and subsurface applications. This includes all advancements in modeling, acquisition, processing, imaging, inversion, characterization, and monitoring methodologies and techniques. These can be applied generally or developed specifically for a certain type of application. Also welcome are ideas for new applications as well as demonstrations of newly developed applications.

Papers must represent significant advances in GPR theory, equipment, methodology, modeling, applications, and/or pitfalls. With few exceptions, application of GPR advances to real problems should be illustrated. Interesting GPR case studies will be considered but generally will be more appropriate for the "Case Histories" section.

K — Interpretation Methods
Why do we need a section for interpretation methods? ("Interpretation" was part of the "AVO and Interpretation" section until 2007.) Many processing and interpretation geophysicists and even some research geophysicists from the industry find that Geophysics articles are not strongly relevant to their work. The technical work of interpreters and the advance in interpretation techniques undoubtedly can benefit from peer review and rigorous accountable technical exchange. Geophysics is the journal of, by, and for exploration geophysicists. Broad participation by mainstream practicing geophysicists is arguably an important measure of the journal’s impact to the exploration geophysics community.

This section is intended for papers on new ideas, methodologies, and geophysical principles for interpretation. New interpretive processing algorithms and workflows are also welcome. This section places emphasis on specific interpretation techniques based on geophysical data or principles, whereas papers in the "Case Histories" section may use interpretation as a step in more comprehensive settings.

L — Magnetic Exploration Methods
"Magnetic Exploration Methods" papers should include the use of magnetic data and methods in solving exploration problems, either alone or in conjunction with other geophysical data and methods such as gravity and seismic. New technology in magnetic data acquisition, compilation, processing, enhancements, and interpretation, as well as innovative improvement of existing methods and technology, also are considered. Also welcome are case histories that involve integration of magnetics with gravity, seismic, and geology, as well as tutorials on established magnetic techniques and applications.

M — Mining Geophysics
Papers in this section must be strongly relevant to mineral exploration and mining. Leading-edge technology should be demonstrated or the paper should demonstrate a new understanding of physical properties of a mineral target gained by using conventional geophysical methods. The study area should be of strong interest to explorationists. Data must clearly support the conclusions.

N — Poroelasticity
This section is intended for papers on mechanical and physical properties of fluid-saturated porous rocks and soils and on mathematical and physical modeling of those properties. The papers can be on new theoretical, numerical, or experimental developments in an area with demonstrated relevance to geophysical technology or on application of poroelastic models to forward or inverse modeling of geophysical response of poroelastic rocks. Case studies involving application of those models are also welcome.

O — Reservoir Geophysics
This section is for papers that show new approaches to defining properties and processes that occur in reservoirs. This can include use of geophysical methods in combination with data and methods from other disciplines, such as well sensing, and dynamic and static property modeling. These data can include well-log data, seismic data, EM data, gravity, magnetic, microseismic used for defining reservoir parameters, and/or time-lapse changes caused by various natural and man-made processes. Also welcome are papers on improvements in defining and reducing the uncertainty of estimates by using better techniques or better constraining data.

P — Seismic Attributes and Pattern Recognition
This section accepts papers on new theories and algorithms with applications for extracting attributes from seismic data and associating them with rock properties, structures (faults, channels, etc.), and anomalies of the subsurface to aid seismic volume interpretation. Contributions on methodologies and case histories are welcome.

Q — Seismic Data Acquisition
This section includes papers that emphasize acquisition aspects of seismically characterizing the subsurface in marine, land, and borehole environments. Topics include design and execution of 2D, 3D, 4D, and passive seismic surveys, new acquisition equipment, novel uses of existing equipment, and the impact of acquisition-related factors on subsurface uncertainty. In addition to papers that address traditional acquisition issues, those that investigate the processing and interpretation implications of acquisition are encouraged.

R — Seismic Inversion
The "Seismic Inversion" section accepts papers on new inversion algorithms and methodologies for extractions of subsurface model parameters using seismic data. Contributions can include but are not limited to new inversion strategies, computational methods for large-scale inverse problems, model representations and parameterizations, practical inversion workflows, and joint inversions of multiple data types.

S — Seismic Migration
Contributions to the "Seismic Migration" section should contain new algorithms, approaches, and principles for seismic imaging. Those include papers that demonstrate the use of new seismic modeling techniques and computational strategies for improved imaging quality and efficiency. Also welcome are contributions on noise (or unwanted signal) reduction, signal enhancements (primaries, multiples, conversions, etc.), and strategies for maximizing the extraction of input information and for optimization of postmigration processing (e.g., AVO and velocity analysis) in the imaging procedures.

T — Seismic Modeling and Wave Propagation
This section is for papers that propose new methodologies for modeling and simulating seismic wave propagation. The papers should advance the understanding of propagating waves and/or propagation media. Contributions in computational methods, physical modeling techniques, strategies for approximating wave equations, and representations of waves and media are all welcome. Papers that demonstrate applications of seismic modeling and wave propagation for data acquisition, processing, and interpretation are appropriate also.

U — Seismic Velocity/Statics
This section is intended for papers on new theories, algorithms, and methodologies for understanding or reconstructing velocities for seismic wave propagation. Contributions can include but are not limited to velocity inversion strategies, computational methods for large-scale inverse problems, velocity model representations and parameterizations, laboratory measurements, empirical relations, practical inversion workflows, and joint inversions for velocities using multiple data types. Papers on velocity parameterizations also may account for anisotropy, absorption, and other effects. Papers on velocity tomography/inversion can be based on unmigrated, migrated, well, gravity, magnetic, and/or other data types.

V — Signal Processing
This section is for papers that describe and demonstrate new approaches related to general processing aspects of geophysical data. These include papers on separating wanted and unwanted signal (e.g., noise), improving the signal-to-noise ratio of geophysical data, and isolating, modeling, and filtering coherent noise. Also encouraged are contributions dealing with data incompleteness that arises from irregular and/or suboptimal sampling of measurements and removing the imprint of an acquisition system on geophysical data. In addition, the section can include contributions on resolution enhancement and image processing techniques and their application to improve interpretability of geophysical models.

W — Tutorials and Expository Discussions
Why is there a need for expository discussions? Busy authors may find it easier to write a short article to share insights and problems. The articles do not have to be as comprehensive as a tutorial or case history. They can focus on one concept or one processing step or illustrate one technical point. Employers who are sensitive to proprietary technology and/or data may approve such articles for publication more readily than full-blown descriptions of geophysical methods or case histories. Papers that illustrate intuitively existing highly mathematical work can be useful expository discussions that improve accessibility of the journal.

Tutorials should be written by authors who can write clearly about geophysical technologies in their field that have been developed to some degree of maturity.

X — Discussions

Y — Errata