Journal profile · Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Geomorphology
ISSN 0169-555X · eISSN 1872-695X · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Biweekly · Founded 1987
Geomorphology: CAS Zone 2 · Earth Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.17; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,400; review about 159 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 399 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Geomorphology is published by Elsevier 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, Landslides and related hazards and Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes, together about 35.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Earth-Surface Processes. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Geomorphology publishes peer-reviewed works across the full spectrum of the discipline from fundamental theory and science to applied research of relevance to sustainable management of the environment.Our journal's scope includes geomorphic themes of:past, present and future environmental changes;tectonics and regional structure, interactions between tectonic and surface processes;volcanic processes and landforms;glacial, paraglacial and periglacial processes and landforms;fluvial processes and landforms;hillslope processes and evolution, mass movements;weathering, soil erosion and related landforms;aeolian processes and landforms;karst processes and forms;coastal and submarine processes and landforms, estuaries and lakes;biogeomorphology;anthropogenic geomorphology;geomorphic hazards;planetary geomorphology;theoretical, experimental and quantitative geomorphology;GIS, remote sensing and modeling methods and applications, sedimentary records and dating.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Editor-in-chief Achim BeylichPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 12 in mainland China (about 14%); most named Mainland China 12, United States 12, Italy 10, United Kingdom 9, Japan 8 (83 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Geology and Paleoclimatology ResearchEarth and Planetary Sciences14.1%
- Landslides and related hazardsEnvironmental Science10.9%
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport ProcessesEnvironmental Science10.9%
- Soil erosion and sediment transportAgricultural and Biological Sciences10.8%
- Geological formations and processesEarth and Planetary Sciences8.8%
- Cryospheric studies and observationsEarth and Planetary Sciences5.1%
- Aeolian processes and effectsEarth and Planetary Sciences4.7%
- Hydrology and Watershed Management StudiesEnvironmental Science3.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geography, Physical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geography, Physical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geography, Physical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
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.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.17LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 6.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.26LetPub ·
- h-index
- 136LetPub ·
- h-index
- 247OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 7,150OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.19OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 9.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 35.76%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 360LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 9,925 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 288 | 128 | 85 |
| 2025 | 399 | 166 | 920 |
| 2024 | 394 | 221 | 2,444 |
| 2023 | 301 | 143 | 3,076 |
| 2022 | 304 | 146 | 4,463 |
| 2021 | 366 | 162 | 7,083 |
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
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
159 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 3 months
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 3 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 8 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 54 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 159 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 4 daysPublisher website ·
- 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 3,400 / EUR 3,180 / GBP 2,720 / JPY 421,700 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,500 | — | — |
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 papers5, by deadline
- Dynamic Landscapes: Tectonic Controls on Earth Surface EvolutionDeadline
- Sediment hazards in a changing world: Dynamics, drivers, and landscape responsesDeadline
- Transient Surface Processes and Long-Term Landscape Evolution from the Late Cenozoic to the PresentDeadline
- Rock Coasts: Lessons and Future Prospects from a Global PerspectiveDeadline
- Geomorphological Impacts of Landslides: Advances in Techniques, Dynamics, and ApplicationsDeadline
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
Article types accepted13, with length limits
- case studyResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…Length not stated
- commentIt is possible to submit a Comment about a recently published article in Geomorphology.Length not stated
- original articleResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…Length not stated
- original paperResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…Length not stated
- original researchResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…Length not stated
- replyThe original author(s) will be invited to write a Reply which must likewise be brief and directed only at the issues in question.Length not stated
- research paperResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…main text ≤ 10,000 words
- research papersResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range.Length not stated
- reviewResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…main text ≤ 3,000 words
- review articleResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…Length not stated
- review articlesReview Articles provide a comprehensive and novel assessment of an issue or significant region in geomorphological research and should be of interest to a wide …Length not stated
- short communicationResearch Papers that meet the Aims and Scope of the journal, with typical length of text in the 5000-10000 word range. Research papers may include specific case…main text ≤ 5,000 words
- short communicationsShort Communications are primarily intended to be compact versions of Full Length Articles, and must still report new and original research of high quality that…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics policy Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
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
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Biweekly
- Founded
- 1987
- ISSN
- 0169-555X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1872-695X
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Geomorphology
What CAS zone is Geomorphology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Geomorphology is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Geography, Physical / Geosciences, Multidisciplinary. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Geomorphology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.17; CiteScore 6.1, h-index 247.
How long does peer review take at Geomorphology?
The publisher reports about 159 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 3 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly 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 Geomorphology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Author–date; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: 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 Geomorphology based?
Of the 83 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 12 (about 14%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (12), United States (12) and Italy (10). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Geomorphology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Geomorphology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Geomorphology open access, and what is the APC?
Geomorphology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,400.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; 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: .