Journal profile · Oceanography
Ocean Modelling
ISSN 1463-5003 · eISSN 1463-5011 · Elsevier BV · ENGLAND · Monthly
Ocean Modelling: CAS Zone 2 · Earth Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.14; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,140; review about 167 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 145 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Ocean Modelling 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 Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes, Climate variability and models and Ocean Waves and Remote Sensing, together about 51.5% of its articles. Its main subfields are Atmospheric Science and Oceanography. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Ocean Modelling is an international journal that highlights the significant findings and breakthroughs in all aspects of ocean modelling research to support the advancement of ocean sciences.Ocean Modelling welcomes submissions in various forms of mechanism analysis, laboratory experiments, ocean model development, improvements and applications, as well as model-observation synergies. In particular, ocean model applications at different scales that aim at understanding the ocean and Earth system and its coupling to biological, geological and chemical systems are welcome. Special attention can be also given to interdisciplinary contributions focusing on interactions between physics, biology and chemistry, cross-scale processes, and machine learning.The journal publishes topics including:Models of ocean circulation, surface waves, tides and sea ice, marine ecosystems, biogeochemical processes, sediment processes, and coastal morphology.Earth system models, ocean-atmosphere coupled models, and climate models with a special emphasis on the role of the ocean.Innovative modelling, combined with observational, theoretical studies concerning physical and biogeochemical processes in different time and space scales.Technologies associated with ocean model development, (e.g., model framework, coupler, data assimilation, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence).Simulation, prediction and response strategy of ocean and climate disasters like tsunamis, flooding, volcano eruptions, float stone, marine heat waves, oil spill movements, etc.Improved understanding of the variability in the ocean and its past, present and future role in the wider climate system using models and observations.Topical Collections will be envisaged for timely topics, related to ocean modelling, to promote key advances in specific research areas in ocean modelling and to bring together high-quality contributions in the collection's domain. Ocean Modelling welcome submissions to the 3 ongoing Topical Collections: Cross-Scale Processes in Ocean Modelling, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Methods and Applications for Ocean Modelling, Advancements in Earth System Modelling with Ocean Components.Ocean Modelling publishes 12 issues per year with 4 categories of articles, including:1. Research Papers form the core of the journal, with a typical length of 6000 words and a maximum of 10000 words.2. Reviews are between 8000 and 20000 words, on topics cross traditional lines.3. Short Communications are short research papers, with a typical length of 2000 words, and a maximum of 5000 words, 3 Figures or Tables.4. Perspective papers discuss about subjective positions, viewpoints or new concepts within less than 2000 words.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Oceanography
Editor-in-chief F. QiaoPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 11 in mainland China (about 21%); most named United States 12, Mainland China 11, Germany 8, Australia 4, United Kingdom 3 (53 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Oceanographic and Atmospheric ProcessesEarth and Planetary Sciences25.4%
- Climate variability and modelsEnvironmental Science14.1%
- Ocean Waves and Remote SensingEarth and Planetary Sciences12%
- Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones ResearchEarth and Planetary Sciences9.1%
- Meteorological Phenomena and SimulationsEarth and Planetary Sciences7.3%
- Coastal and Marine DynamicsEarth and Planetary Sciences4.9%
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamicsEarth and Planetary Sciences4.4%
- Marine and coastal ecosystemsEarth and Planetary Sciences4.2%
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 | Oceanography | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Earth Sciences Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Oceanography | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Earth Sciences Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Oceanography | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences | Zone 3 |
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
- 3.14LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 5.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.9LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.22LetPub ·
- h-index
- 72LetPub ·
- h-index
- 130OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 1,428OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.14OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 6.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 35%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 136LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,353 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 131 | 52 | 53 |
| 2025 | 145 | 70 | 360 |
| 2024 | 130 | 67 | 861 |
| 2023 | 108 | 65 | 1,046 |
| 2022 | 88 | 54 | 1,274 |
| 2021 | 96 | 68 | 1,709 |
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
167 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports 6–12 weeks
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)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 72 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 167 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 2 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 3,140 / EUR 2,940 / GBP 2,510 / JPY 389,450 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,630 | — | — |
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 prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 10,000 words
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted8, with length limits
- perspectiveof 5000 words, 3 Figures or Tables. 4. Perspective papers discuss about subjective positions, viewpoints or new concepts within less than 2000 words. Peer revie…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- perspective papers4. Perspective papers discuss about subjective positions, viewpoints or new concepts within less than 2000 words.Length not stated
- research paper4 categories of articles, including: 1. Research Papers form the core of the journal, with a typical length of 6000 words and a maximum of 10000 words. 2. Revie…main text ≤ 6,000 words
- research papers1. Research Papers form the core of the journal, with a typical length of 6000 words and a maximum of 10000 words.Length not stated
- reviewwords and a maximum of 10000 words. 2. Reviews are between 8000 and 20000 words, on topics cross traditional lines. 3. Short Communicationsmain text ≤ 20,000 words
- reviews2. Reviews are between 8000 and 20000 words, on topics cross traditional lines.Length not stated
- short communication, on topics cross traditional lines. 3. Short Communications are short research papers, with a typical length of 2000 words, and a maximum of 5000 words, 3 Figu…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- short communications3. Short Communications are short research papers, with a typical length of 2000 words, and a maximum of 5000 words, 3 Figures or Tables.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 BV
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- ISSN
- 1463-5003
- Electronic ISSN
- 1463-5011
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Ocean Modelling
What CAS zone is Ocean Modelling in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Ocean Modelling is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Oceanography / Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Earth Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Ocean Modelling?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.14; CiteScore 5.2, h-index 130.
How long does peer review take at Ocean Modelling?
The publisher reports about 167 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; 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 Ocean Modelling?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 10,000 words; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Cover letter: Required. 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 Ocean Modelling based?
Of the 53 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 11 (about 21%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (12), Mainland China (11) and Germany (8). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Ocean Modelling?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Ocean Modelling is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Ocean Modelling open access, and what is the APC?
Ocean Modelling is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,140.
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: .