Manuscript types
Earth System Science Data (ESSD) maintains sections for the following manuscript types. Please read the requirements for each section carefully.
Data description papers
These may describe original research data, databases, or combined datasets derived from them.
ESSD understands original research data as data generated by observation of the Earth system. In most cases this excludes reprocessing, postprocessing, or reanalysis of model outputs (such as climate model outputs, environmental modelling outputs, output of classification algorithms, and so forth). For the most part, ESSD does not publish model-based forecasts or projections. Articles may describe observational data extended or verified with model output or other combinations of model output and observational data produced for specific purposes or specific regions where observations remain too sparse or otherwise too limited. In all cases users must discover a unique accessible verifiable data product.
Although examples of data outcomes may prove necessary to demonstrate data quality, extensive interpretations of data – i.e. detailed analysis as an author might report in a research article – remain outside the scope of this data journal. ESSD data descriptions should instead highlight and emphasize the quality, usability, and accessibility of the dataset, database, or other data product and should describe extensive carefully prepared metadata and file structures at the data repository.
Articles in this category should not focus on instrumentation, methodology, data extraction, or data treatment except when that information helps quantify uncertainties or otherwise facilitates validation of data presented.
Please carefully read the ESSD data policy and editorial if unsure what kind of data are within the scope of the journal.
Review articles
These allow authors and editors flexibility for multiple purposes. It is strongly recommended that an ESSD editor is consulted prior to submission to ensure maximum benefit to readers. As described above, review articles must address original accessible data.
Review articles may
- evaluate relative merits of datasets, databases, or data collections;
- introduce and justify procedures to enhance the usability of previously published data (e.g. by standardization, validation, benchmarking, transformation);
- describe recombinations of existing (historic) datasets.
Review articles may not
- compare, describe, or evaluate environmental modelling approaches;
- compare, describe, or evaluate instrumentation;
- present analysis tools or data infrastructure.
Please carefully read the ESSD data policy and editorial if unsure what kind of data are within the scope of the journal.
ESS Visions
This is an open section to publicly discuss novel ideas, concepts, standards, or visions for the Earth System Science Data community as a whole. The section is primarily intended as a vehicle of community engagement, to discuss ideas broadly and collect feedback. Please contact the ESSD chief editors before submitting an article to this section.
Brief communications
This is an open section that may include general comments, replies, corrigenda, and updates to previously published articles. Corrigenda correct errors in recent papers. The manuscript title reads as follows: Corrigendum to "TITLE" published in "JOURNAL, VOLUME, PAGES, YEAR". Please note that corrigenda are only possible for final revised journal papers.