Journal profile · Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Quaternary Science Reviews
ISSN 0277-3791 · eISSN 1873-457X · Elsevier Ltd · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 1982
Quaternary Science Reviews: CAS Zone 2 · Earth Sciences (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 3.27; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,920; review about 126 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: hard; 453 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Quaternary Science Reviews is published by Elsevier Ltd and is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Geology and Paleoclimatology Research, Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology and Geological formations and processes, together about 51.2% of its articles. Its main subfields are Atmospheric Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The International Journal of Earth, Climate and Life InteractionsQuaternary Science Reviews caters for all aspects of Quaternary science, and includes, for example, geology, geomorphology, geography, archaeology, soil science, palaeobotany, palaeontology, palaeoclimatology and the full range of applicable dating methods. The dividing line between what constitutes the review paper and one which contains new original data is not easy to establish, so QSR also publishes papers with new data especially if these perform a review function. All the Quaternary sciences are changing rapidly and subject to re-evaluation as the pace of discovery quickens; thus the diverse but comprehensive role of Quaternary Science Reviews keeps readers abreast of the wider issues relating to new developments in the field. Quaternary Science Reviews includes Special Issues on topical subjects arising from recent scientific meetings, in response to significant changes in Quaternary subject matter, or to acknowledge the achievements of some outstanding Quaternary Scientist.Authors are also welcome to submit to the journal's open access companion title, Quaternary Science Advances.This journal welcomes contributions that support and advance the UN's sustainable development goals.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Editor-in-chief Miryam Bar-MatthewsPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 15 in mainland China (about 22%); most named Mainland China 15, United Kingdom 9, United States 8, Israel 6, Italy 4 (67 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 Sciences32.5%
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and ArchaeologySocial Sciences10.7%
- Geological formations and processesEarth and Planetary Sciences8%
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studiesEarth and Planetary Sciences6.3%
- Cryospheric studies and observationsEarth and Planetary Sciences5.5%
- Isotope Analysis in EcologyEnvironmental Science5.2%
- Methane Hydrates and Related PhenomenaEnvironmental Science3.9%
- Climate change and permafrostEarth and Planetary Sciences2.8%
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: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geography, Physical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Earth Sciences Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Geography, Physical | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview 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
- 3.27LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.36LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.37LetPub ·
- h-index
- 164LetPub ·
- h-index
- 273OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 7,083OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.25OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 15.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 42.87%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 409LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 10,050 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 395 | 222 | 168 |
| 2025 | 453 | 237 | 1,258 |
| 2024 | 504 | 301 | 2,968 |
| 2023 | 376 | 221 | 4,091 |
| 2022 | 429 | 246 | 7,179 |
| 2021 | 421 | 245 | 8,889 |
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 PubMed · to
Too few articlesOnly 1 articles from the last 24 months carry both submission and acceptance dates, too few for a median
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".
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–6 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- HardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 2 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 60 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 126 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 10 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 3,920 / EUR 3,670 / GBP 3,140 / JPY 486,200 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,900 | — | — |
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 papers2, by deadline
Publisher websiteArticle types accepted16
- commentAuthors wishing to specifically comment on a recently published QSR article should thus submit a 'Comment' (maximum 1,500 words, 1 figure) and directed only tow…Length not stated
- commentaryQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- editorialQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- forumA 'Forum' section has been established to facilitate debates and communication within the community, and will include Letters to the Editor, Opinion Papers, Com…Length not stated
- invited opinion paperFrom time to time, authors may be approached by the Editors to contribute an Invited Opinion Paper to the journal.Length not stated
- invited review articleFrom time to time, authors may be approached by the Editors to contribute an Invited Review Article to the journal.Length not stated
- letters to the editorQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- opinionQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- original articleQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- replyThe original author(s) will be invited to write a 'Reply' that must be similarly brief (maximum 1,500 words, 1 figure) and respond only to the issues in questio…Length not stated
- research paperQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- research papersQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- reviewQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- review articleQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- short communicationQuaternary Science Reviews publishes Research Papers of high quality and global significance that meet the criteria of being of broad interest to a diverse, int…Length not stated
- short communicationsShort Communications are primarily intended to be compact versions of Research Papers for a fast-track editorial handling. They should not exceed 3,000 words in…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
Elsevier's 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
open access options available Model summary
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.
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 Ltd
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 1982
- ISSN
- 0277-3791
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-457X
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Quaternary Science Reviews
What CAS zone is Quaternary Science Reviews in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Quaternary Science Reviews is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Geography, Physical / Geosciences, Multidisciplinary; it is a Top journal. 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 Quaternary Science Reviews?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.27; CiteScore 6, h-index 273.
How long does peer review take at Quaternary Science Reviews?
The publisher reports about 126 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 3–6 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Hard”. 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.
Where are the editorial board members of Quaternary Science Reviews based?
Of the 67 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 15 (about 22%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (15), United Kingdom (9) and United States (8). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Quaternary Science Reviews?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Quaternary Science Reviews is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Quaternary Science Reviews open access, and what is the APC?
Quaternary Science Reviews is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,920.
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: .