Anthropocene

Anthropocene is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Geology and Paleoclimatology Research, Land Use and Ecosystem Services and Archaeology and ancient environmental studies, together about 32.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are Global and Planetary Change. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)

Anthropocene is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal answering questions about the nature, scale and extent of interactions between people and Earth processes and systems. The scope of the journal includes the significance of human activities in altering Earth's landscapes, oceans, the atmosphere, cryosphere, and ecosystems over a range of time and space scales - from global phenomena over geologic eras to single isolated events - including the linkages, couplings, and feedbacks among physical, chemical, biological, and social dimensions of Earth systems. The journal also addresses how such alterations can have profound effects on, and implications for, human society. As the scale and pace of human interactions with Earth systems have intensified in recent decades, understanding human-induced alterations in the past and present is critical to our ability to anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to changes in the future. The journal aims to provide a venue to focus research findings and debates toward advancing predictive understanding of sustainable human interactions with Earth systems-one of the grand challenges of our time.The journal seeks contributions focused on the following themes: How and when did past human interactions with Earth systems register in geologic and environmental records?Quantitative evidence and causes of large-scale human impacts; and illustrating their significance toward the future.Couplings among bio-physical and human processes, including environmental boundaries and societal responses to human-induced environmental change.Managing risk and developing solution-oriented pathways toward achieving human-environmental sustainability in the 'Anthropocene.'Anthropocene welcomes the following types of manuscripts that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal:Original research articles pose and answer significant questions toward advancing understanding of human interactions with Earth systems. They are scientific articles that present a complete methododology, with discussion separated from the Results section. The research questions must appear explicitly (in the form of questions) early in the Introduction of the paper, and the Conclusion section must present clear answers to the questions. Substantial new data and analyses must also support these articles. The typical length of text is in the 5000-7000 word range. Research articles may include specific case studies if these studies demonstrate theoretical significance and broad systemic relevance.Review papers assess the state of knowledge and establish the broader significance of a particular subfield or topic. They must synthesize stated bodies of literature toward identification of future research needs and directions. These review articles, with a typical length within 8000 words, may include some new data or synthesis of existing data that produce new understanding.Viewpoint short communications address timely topics, comprising 2000-3000 words. These articles must articulate clear viewpoints toward stimulating reflection around relevant issues.

From the journal's Aims & Scope

Research area (LetPub): Earth and Planetary Sciences-Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

Editor-in-chief Zicheng YuPublisher website

Editorial board by country: 10 in mainland China (about 32%); most named Mainland China 10, United States 5, Argentina 3, United Kingdom 2, Hong Kong, China 1 (31 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website · 2026-10-01

CAS Journal Ranking

Database indexing

SCIEScopusLetPub

International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub

Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.

Impact

Impact factor

4.14LetPub · 2026-09-13

Impact factor (publisher)

4.7Publisher website · 2026-10-01

CiteScore 2026-06

7.4LetPub · 2026-09-13

CiteScore (publisher)

7.4Publisher website · 2026-10-01

SJR 2026-06

1.29LetPub · 2026-09-13

SNIP 2026-06

1.38LetPub · 2026-09-13

h-index

60OpenAlex · 2026-10-01

i10-index

309OpenAlex · 2026-10-01

2-year mean citedness

3.43OpenAlex · 2026-10-01

Self-citation rate

2.1%LetPub · 2026-09-13

Share of gold OA articles

24.43%LetPub · 2026-09-13

Volume

Articles per year

53LetPub · 2026-09-13

Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.

Figures by source

Submission to first decision

4 daysPublisher website · 2026-10-01

First decision after review

84 daysPublisher website · 2026-10-01

Submission to acceptance

167 daysPublisher website · 2026-10-01

Acceptance to publication

3 daysPublisher website · 2026-10-01

Peer review

Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website

Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.

A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.

The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.

Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Country or region

United Kingdom

Language

English

ISSN

2213-3054

Official links

• Journal homepage ↗LetPub
• Submission system ↗Publisher website
• Special issues ↗Publisher website