Journal profile · Physics, Multidisciplinary
European Physical Journal-Special Topics
ISSN 1951-6355 · eISSN 1951-6401 · Springer Berlin Heidelberg · FRANCE · Monthly · Founded 2007
European Physical Journal-Special Topics: CAS Zone 3 · Physics & Astronomy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.32; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,790; median 122 days to acceptance (106 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: easy; 675 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
European Physical Journal-Special Topics is published by Springer Berlin Heidelberg and is in Zone 3 of Physics & Astronomy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation, stochastic dynamics and bifurcation and Chaos control and synchronization, together about 25.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Statistical and Nonlinear Physics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
EPJ - Special Topics (EPJ ST) publishes topical issues which are collections of review-type articles or extensive, detailed progress reports. Each issue is focused on a specific subject matter of topical interest. The journal scope covers the whole spectrum of pure and applied physics, including related subjects such as Materials Science, Physical Biology, Physical Chemistry, and Complex Systems with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary topics in physics and related fields. Only proposals for a complete issue will be considered. Proposals will be refereed and should be submitted to either Sandrine Karpe (sandrine.karpe@edpsciences.org) and Vijala Kiruvanayagam (vijala.kiruvanayagam@edpsciences.org), EDP Sciences or Sabine Lehr, Springer, sabine.lehr@springer.com Discussion and Debate Issues The journal offers a new feature in form of Discussion and Debate issues. The aim of such topical issues is the balanced critical presentation of specific unsolved problems, controversial topics, rival theories, alternative methodologies, and negative results of interest at the cutting edge of scientific and technological development.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Physics, Multidisciplinary
Editorial board by country: 3 in mainland China (about 10%); most named Germany 8, France 5, Mainland China 3, United States 3, India 3 (30 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern FormationComputer Science10.8%
- stochastic dynamics and bifurcationPhysics and Astronomy7.7%
- Chaos control and synchronizationPhysics and Astronomy7.4%
- Neural dynamics and brain functionNeuroscience6.1%
- Particle physics theoretical and experimental studiesPhysics and Astronomy4.9%
- Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle InteractionsPhysics and Astronomy4.5%
- Complex Systems and Time Series AnalysisEconomics, Econometrics and Finance4.1%
- Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical MechanicsPhysics and Astronomy4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Physics & Astronomy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Physics & Astronomy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Physics & Astronomy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Physics & Astronomy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Physics, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
INSPECCASCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
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.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.32LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.5Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.38LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.79LetPub ·
- h-index
- 64LetPub ·
- h-index
- 104OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,115OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.51OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 16%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 19.81%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 632LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 782,500Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 6,255 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 513 | 207 | 376 |
| 2025 | 675 | 206 | 1,476 |
| 2024 | 367 | 110 | 2,052 |
| 2023 | 321 | 155 | 2,088 |
| 2022 | 347 | 131 | 4,056 |
| 2021 | 415 | 197 | 5,541 |
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.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
122 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 66 days – 181 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 19 days (106 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 138 days
- Sample
- 106 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,282 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer review, Single 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.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,790 / EUR 2,890 / GBP 2,490 | — | — |
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.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers3, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Optional
Article types accepted4
- minireviewMinireview: A typically 10–15 pages contribution, where approximately half of the material is in form of representative mini-review of the entire subtopic/subfi…Length not stated
- original paper (v1)Original Paper (v1): A typically 5–10 pages contribution, which contains a significant fraction of original material e.g. because it is a follow up paper of a r…Length not stated
- original paper (v2)Original Paper (v2): A short study, typically 3–5 pages containing predominantly new material, on a very specific aspect of some broader research published else…Length not stated
- tutorial reviewTutorial Review: A 15+ pages tutorial review (lecture) on a broader topic that adds significantly more introductory and background material to make this reasona…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria; use must be documented in Methods. Model summary
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data availability statement required for all original research. Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in The European Physical Journal Special Topics, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Single-blind peer review
Reviewer suggestion/exclusion allowed. Model summary
This journal follows a single-blind reviewing procedure. This journal also publishes special/guest-edited issues. The peer review process for these articles is the same as the peer review process of the journal in general. Additionally, if a guest editor authors an article in their issue/collection, they will not handle the peer review process. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·
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.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Country or region
- FRANCE
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 2007
- ISSN
- 1951-6355
- Electronic ISSN
- 1951-6401
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 235, Issue 23 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about European Physical Journal-Special Topics
What CAS zone is European Physical Journal-Special Topics in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, European Physical Journal-Special Topics is in Zone 3 of Physics & Astronomy, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Physics, Multidisciplinary. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Physics & Astronomy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of European Physical Journal-Special Topics?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.32; CiteScore 5.5, h-index 104.
How long does peer review take at European Physical Journal-Special Topics?
Based on the dates recorded on 106 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 122 days (interquartile range 66–181 days); authors report an average review time of 3–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of European Physical Journal-Special Topics?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Optional; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of European Physical Journal-Special Topics based?
Of the 30 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 3 (about 10%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (8), France (5) and Mainland China (3). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index European Physical Journal-Special Topics?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, European Physical Journal-Special Topics is indexed in SCIE and Scopus. The journal's website also lists INSPEC, CAS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is European Physical Journal-Special Topics open access, and what is the APC?
European Physical Journal-Special Topics is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,790.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .