GEOSCIENCE CANADA

Latest News and Information for Readers and Authors

The Information here is updated all the time - Visit us on a frequent basis!
Feedback from readers and writers is encouraged - just contact the editors....

Things are always going on at Geoscience Canada, and this is where you can find out the latest developments, and get a preview of things to come. See the list and the links below:

ISSUE 1 of VOLUME 48 IS NOW PUBLISHED! We are pleased to announce that the first issue of the journal for 2021 is now published.

The issue contains two technical papers that we hope will become influential documents. GAC Hutchison Medallist Shahin Dashtgard and colleagues revisit models for sedimentary facies developed in complex shoreline settings and propose a new unified model. The work of the journal in developing Facies Models continues with this thoughtful contribution. Terry Carter and colleagues integrate geological information for the Paleozoic bedrock of Southern Ontario to develop a hydrostratigraphic framework that will provide vital knowledge for present and future water usage in Canada's most populated Province. We are proud to host cutting-edge research in both sedimentology and hydrogeology in a single issue. Open access continues for this issue but sadly will not apply to remaining issues in Volume 48. However, we have not abandoned the idea of a complete transition to permanent Open-Access in our future. See the editorial for this issue for a discussion of the many issues involved in this. And check out the preliminary information for a "Celebration of Canadian Geoscience" in May.

The Coronavirus Pandemic continues to affect us all, but we do not anticipate further delays in publication during 2021. Let's hope we are right on that one, for everyone's sake, and that the Time of Covid will soon be coming to an end. We remain open for submissions and other business for future issues in 2020, and we welcome contributions from those who might be visited by their muse if they are unfortunate enough to get locked down. We sincerely hope that our subscribers and readers remain in good health and are able to stay safe in the weeks and months to come, and we encourage adherence to all public health measures and efforts at social distancing aimed at restricting the spread of the Coronavirus and lessening its impacts on all of us. We may no longer all have to stay home, but we all have to stay safe and protect the health of others......

ISSUES 1 and 2 OF VOLUME 47 ARE NOW PUBLISHED! Despite the continuing disruption to professional and personal lives caused by the Coronavirus Pandemic, we are pleased to announce that a combined issue of the journal is now published, representing Issue 1 (originally planned for March 2020) and Issue 2 (published more-or-less on time at the end of June). We regret the deferral of Issue 1, but this was unavoidable because of delays in finalizing papers and problems with the layout process for final publication.

The combined issue contains a variety of papers, including work from three continents (South America, Europe and Africa). These include a comprehensive paper by the late Maarten de Wit (1947-2020) that integrates many years of work, and provides a fitting tribute to his long-term scientific contributions. We also visit the magmatic history of the Andes of Chile, and make a classic excursion in the Scottish Highlands, where James Hutton described the outcrops that sparked a great debate leading to modern igneous petrology. In addition to these longer papers, a commentary on the much-debated topic of the Anthropocene urges the Geoscience Profession to become more involved in its definition and understanding.

The Coronavirus Pandemic continues to affect us all, but we do not anticipate further delays in publication during 2020. Let's hope we are right on that one, for everyone's sake, and that the Time of Covid will be transient. Geoscience Canada remains open for submissions and other business for future issues in 2020, and we welcome contributions from those who might be visited by their muse in this time of crisis. We sincerely hope that our subscribers and readers remain in good health and are able to stay safe in the weeks and months to come, and we encourage efforts at social distancing aimed at restricting the spread of the Coronavirus and lessening its impacts on all of us. We no longer all have to stay home, but we all have to stay safe and protect the health of others......

ISSUE 1 OF VOLUME 47 WILL BE DELAYED We regret that the first issue of 2020, originally planned for a publication date at the end of March, will be delayed. This is due to a range of factors, including delays in processing papers intended for the issue, and complications from the Coronavirus Pandemic. This caused problems for both editors, who were out of Canada when things erupted in March, and it also affects other aspects of what we do, notably layout work which has in-kind support from Government in Newfoundland. Collectively, these have made it impossible to have materials ready by the end of March.

It is presently uncertain if this issue will be published at a slightly later date in the Spring, or if it will have to be combined with Issue 2 of Volume 47, which would normally be published in Late June. We are exploring various options, and this will also depend on the impact of Pandemic measures on the working environment.

We suspect that many readers are not working in their offices, and may be at home, perhaps looking for projects to occupy their time away from normal diversions. Geoscience Canada remains open for submissions and other business for future issues in 2020, and we welcome contributions from those who might be visited by their muse in this time of crisis. We sincerely hope that our subscribers and readers remain in good health and are able to stay safe in the weeks and months to come, and we encourage efforts at social distancing aimed at restricting the spread of the Coronavirus and lessening its impacts on all of us.

ISSUE 4 OF VOLUME 46 IS NOW PUBLISHED! We are pleased to announce the publication of the final issue in Volume 46. We actually managed to have everything done a week before Christmas, which was a relief! We continue to have transition problems with the new website for the journal's operations, and are working through these with the Open Journal Project. Issue 4 includes another contribution in our "Classic Rock Tours" Series, which is a comprehensive guide to one of the world's most famous geological sites - the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. We are very pleased to have this long-awaited contribution in the journal and hope that it may inspire others to write up similarly amazing sites for the benefits of readers. Issue 4 also includes a Presidential Address on the topic of "Big Data", which is not necessarily a "Big Problem", although it can certainly manifest as such. To round things out we include also a review of an excellent new book on Luminescence Dating, a topic of interest to Archeologists as well as Geologists and Stratigraphers. Remember that we are always interested in submissions, on a wide range of topics.

ISSUE 3 OF VOLUME 46 IS NOW PUBLISHED! We are pleased to announce the publication of the third issue in Volume 46. The September issue was a little bit late, and published in mid-October. Some delays were caused by transition problems with a new website for the journal's operations, and this continues to provide a few challenges, which we are working through with the Open Journal Project. If you log on to the journal content website at UNB you will notice some changes in format and operation, and it should now be easier to work with the website on your phone or tablet. The open-access papers in the issue are also available from this website, and (for now) our format is unchanged. Issue 3 includes another contribution in our "Classic Rock Tours" Series, which guides readers through the ophiolites of western Newfoundland in Gros Morne National Park. We also have another paper in the Great Mining Camps series, about the world-class base metal deposits of the Bathurst Camp in New Brusnwick. To round things off, we provide a review of an excellent new book on dinosaurs that would make a great gift for any geologist in your life. Remember that we are always interested in submissions, on a wide range of topics.

ISSUE 2 OF VOLUME 46 IS NOW PUBLISHED! We are pleased to announce the publication of the second issue in Volume 46. The June issue was almost on time, just a few days into July. Some delays were caused by transition problems with a new website for the journal's operations. If you log on to the journal content website at UNB you will notice some changes in format and operation, and it should now be easier to work with the website on your phone or tablet. The open-access papers in the issue are also available from this website, and (for now) our format is unchanged. Issue 2 includes a paper in the Great Mining Camps series, about the famous undersea iron mines of Bell Island, Newfoundland, and also a very topical paper about assessing the prospects for mining water and platinum-group metals from near-Earth asteroids. That's about as diverse as two topics can be! We are now working on Issue 3. Remember that we are always interested in submissions, on a wide range of topics.

THE DOORS ARE OPEN FOR GAC-MAC 2019! For the next 10 days or so, all content in GEOSCIENCE Canada is open access through this website. We encourage you to look around and see what we publish and think about what you might write in the future! Remember that a subscription to the journal costs less on an annual basis than having a cup of coffee on a weekly basis at Tim's or Starbucks, and that we taste a lot better and are always hot. Subscriptions support this valuable non-profit science publishing in Canada.

THE FIRST ISSUE OF 2019 IS NOW PUBLISHED AND AVAILABLE! The first issue of Volume 46 (2019) is now available on this website, and also on the Journal Content Website. Although we are now a week into April, we published on March 28th - just in time. Take a look at some interesting papers, concerning areas from Labrador and Quebec to the Emerald Isle and the mountains of British Columbia. Volume 45 Issue 1 (2018) now becomes fully open-access. For Geoscience Canada issues dated 2014 and earlier, please visit the full journal content and management site using the Login option on the Main Menu.

Remember that a subscription to the journal costs less on an annual basis than having a cup of coffee on a weekly basis at Tim's or Starbucks, and that we taste a lot better and are always hot. Subscriptions support this valuable non-profit science publishing in Canada.

WELCOME TO THE 2019 VOLUME (46)! The papers from the third and fourth issues of volume 45 (2018) are now available on this website. Due to some issues related to paper revision and processing for the September issue, these were combined into a single issue of the journal released at the end of the year. We hope to release issue 1 of 2019 on time around the end of March. Note that the access policy of the journal has now changed to conform with the new Erudit access framework. Articles published in Geoscience Canada will become open access documents one year after their formal publication. Articles in Volume 45 remain accessible only via subscription, aside from some which have instant open-access status, obtained by payment of a modest charge by the authors or their Institutions. These optional open-access charges provide important support for the day-to-day operations of the Journal. Volume 44 (2017) and earlier volumes are fully open-access and are available on this website. For Geoscience Canada issues dated 2014 and earlier, please visit the full journal content and management site using the Login option on the Main Menu.

Remember that a subscription to the journal costs less on an annual basis than having a cup of coffee on a weekly basis at Tim's or Starbucks, and that we taste a lot better and are always hot. Subscriptions support this valuable non-profit science publishing in Canada.

THE DOORS ARE OPEN AGAIN - But not for long! To mark the occasion of the RFG conference, incorporating GAC and MAC, we have opened our doors for the remainder of June. All content in the Journal is now fully open access through this website (www.geosciencecanada.ca). The issues from 2018 and 2017 will partially revert to subscription access only at the end of the month. Note that the access policy of the journal has now changed to conform with the new Erudit access framework. Articles published in Geoscience Canada will become open access documents one year after their formal publication. So, Issue 1 of 2017 (volume 44-1) will remain as open access from the end of June, and Issue 2 of 2017 will still be opened. Remember that a subscription to the journal costs less on an annual basis than having a cup of coffee on a weekly basis at Tim's or Starbucks, and that we taste a lot better and are always hot. Subscriptions support this valuable non-profit science publishing in Canada.

The Second Issue of Volume 45 is coming soon! We are working hard to assemble the second issue of Volume 45 (2018) for publication in June although we may not quite make it in time for the Annual Meeting, held as part of the RFG Conference in Vancouver. Stay tuned for new developments, and be sure to visit the GAC booth for a preview......

The First Issue of Volume 45 is now published, sorry about the delay! We are pleased to announce that the first issue of Volume 45 (2018) is now available through the Journal Content Website, and through this website. We apologize for the late publication at the end of April, rather than in March. This was due to some delays by authors in revising papers, and also because we wanted to squeeze in the first article in our new "Classic Rock Tours" series, which focuses on one of the most famous field trips in the history of geology - when James Hutton and his colleagues found the spectacular unconformity at Siccar Point, Scotland. Read it to find out how you can visit and appreciate this hallowed place. For those interested in the history of geology in Canada, you can find out about the amazing exploits of Albert Peter Low in what is now Quebec and Labrador. Believe me, you would not want to have been this guy's field assistant! The issue also has a paper about the latest geological understanding of the very same region, the mysterious 'core zone' of the eastern Churchill Province, now revealed to be a complex tectonic collage. If you're heading west in the summer, check out the review of Dale Leckie's excellent guidebook to Banff, Yoho and Jasper National Parks and their geological wonders.

The last issue of Volume 44 is now published, and changes are coming! We are pleased to announce that the last issue of Volume 44 (2017) is now available through the Journal Content Website, and through this website. Have a look at its diverse contents, including a lengthy paper on the integration of geophysical and geological data in the search for mineral deposits, and a contribution on how Professional Geoscientists might be treated when they break those all-important rules. For those with subscriptions to Geoscience Canada, the full text of all technical articles is available on the journal content website. Just log in and hit the download buttons. If you don't have a subscription to Geoscience Canada, why not? We expect that 2018 will bring some changes in terms of active thematic series for papers, and will be working with section editors to streamline this process and encourage submissions. If you have ideas about thematic series, and want to get involved, now is a perfect time to contact us. We apologize for some delays in updating this website in late 2017, and promise to do better in the coming year. As always, we depend on volunteer help, and as you well know, volunteers are always busy people.

Issues 2 and 3 of Volume 44 are now published, and posted on this website We are pleased to announce that issues 2 and 3 of Volume 44 (2017) are now available through the Journal Content Website, and through this website. Have a look at their diverse content, including a paper on the new World Heritage Site at Mistaken Point in Newfoundland, the tectonics of Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea, and a review of the important subject of GeoMetallurgy. There are other interesting papers here as well. For those with subscriptions to Geoscience Canada, the full text of all technical articles is available on the journal content website. Just log in and hit the download buttons. If you don't have a subscription to Geoscience Canada, why not? We apologize for delays in updating this website with this material. Running a journal takes time and energy, and has to be fitted in with other things like teaching and research........

Issue 1 of Volume 44 is now published We are pleased to announce that the first issue of Volume 44 (2017) is now available through the Journal Content Website. It will soon be listed here as well. Have a look at its diverse contents, including papers on the use of phase diagrams in metamorphic petrology and a review paper on the consequences of giant impacts in Earth History. Find out about the Newfoundland clergyman, the Ottawa lawyer and the controversial soft-bodied Precambrian impression. And, did you know that camels wandered in the dark high Arctic during the Pliocene? For those with subscriptions to Geoscience Canada, the full text of all technical articles is available on the journal content website. Just log in and hit the download buttons. If you don't have a subscription to Geoscience Canada, why not?

Issue 4 of Volume 43 is now published We are pleased to announce that the fourth issue of Volume 43 (2016) is now available here, and is also currently available through the Journal Content Website. Have a look at its diverse contents, including papers on the Yellowstone Plume and its role in Cordilleran tectonics, basalt volcanism in the Himalayas, and the untapped wine potential of Wisconsin. Yes, this really is an international issue of the journal! You will also find some commentaries on Tuzo Wilson's classic 1966 paper on the proto-Atlantic Ocean, published 50 years ago, information on field trips for Kingston 2017, a book review, and a call for Commitment, Collaboration and Communication by outgoing GAC President Vicky Yehl. We second her remarks. For those with subscriptions to Geoscience Canada, the full text of all technical articles is available on the journal content website. Just log in and hit the download buttons. If you don't have a subscription to Geoscience Canada, why not?

Issue 3 of Volume 43 is now published We are pleased to announce that the third issue of Volume 43 (2016) is now available here, and is also currently available through the Journal Content Website. Have a look at its diverse contents, including papers on extensional magmatism in forearc settings, closed-basin stages for the Great Lakes, using LIDAR data in the nearshore/offshore, and the interesting life of pioneer paleontologist Elkanak Billings. And other things besides. For those with subscriptions to Geoscience Canada, the full text of all articles is available on the journal content website. Just log in and hit the download buttons.

We're Sorry, but the doors are no longer open! We could not leave them open forever, much as we would like to, as we are a subscription-based journal and cannot operate for free. If you're not a subscriber, this is your chance to think about the wisdom of taking out a subscription. The abstracts for all papers remain available on the website, but to access the full article, you will need to Login to the Journal Content Website. Older issues of the Journal are available there as open access items. We may open the doors again in the future, but no date is set at present!

Open Doors will be closing in another week or so! We can't do this forever, as we are a subscription-based journal. If you're not a subscriber, this is your chance to look around and perhaps download a few papers (but not all....) and think about the wisdom of taking out a subscription. Maybe your institution HAS a subscription, but there are many advantages to having your own. It's convenient, it works from anywhere and, most importantly, it supports non-profit science publishing in Canada. Without that, we'd all be up schist creek without a paddle, and it wouldn't be very gneiss. Do it today, the doors will close with a thud on June 24th.

Our new website is finally active and open to all! This project has been in the works for some time and we have finally taken the step to go live. This will be a powerful new asset for the journal. The site is designed to be functional and simple rather than overly complicated and busy, and we hope you'll approve of this style. Not that there was much choice, given that most of our knowledge of HTML was acquired 'on-the-job' and by trial and error.
For the next month or so, the articles from the last two years will be freely available on the new website. Our OPEN DOORS initiative is intended to raise awareness of the content of the journal, and to encourage both submissions and subscriptions. Note that Geoscience Canada becomes subscription-based again as of June 24, 2016, so use the next few weeks to explore what we have! After that date, the access to the full content of most articles will require logging in to the existing Journal Content and Admin website at UNB, aside from open-access items. Our new site will continue to provide abstract summaries for other items, under open access. Ultimately, we hope to move all readership access to the new site but this will take some more research and testing. until we figure out how to implement these features on the new site.
We welcome feedback on the new site. It will evolve over time, and we want to be aware of any problems. Send comments and alerts to the editor, but please use the dedicated email address at sensaterre@gmail.com. This will help to avoid a message deluge. Enjoy the New Website and Open Doors !

The second issue for 2016 is now under development and will contain several articles, and also a piece based on the presidential address by Brian Pratt from the 2015 Toronto Joint Assembly. We hope that Volume 43, number 2 will become available at the time of the Whitehorse GAC-MAC meeting in late May. Scientific articles are a real smorgasbord, including a paper on remarkably preserved Holocene fossil assemblages and their interpretation, one on the use of Pearce Element Ratios in petrological/geochemical studies, and another on structural development and metamorphism in the Rockies of Southeastern British Columbia. There is also an historical article about Robert Bell and the early days of the GSC - this was written by the late Ian Brookes before his death in February 2015, and has been brought to fruition by former colleagues.

The first issue of Volume 43 of Geoscience Canada is now published and available. This is a special issue highlighting the first contributions to a new thematic series about Heritage Stones. This brings a series of articles on diverse topics from different countries in Europe and also Brazil. Check out the cover photos of the amazing statues and bowls carved from hard, metamorphosed anorthosites by the ancient Egyptians. We hope for future contributions to this new series in future issues for 2016 and beyond. Look also for information and commentary on our new 'open access' initiatives at Geoscience Canada

The new scientific editor for Geoscience Canada is Andrew Kerr who took over from Brendan Murphy as of Jan 1st, 2016. Andy has a long history of involvement in GAC activities, and in 2015 he retired from a long career with the Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador, where he was eventually responsible for mineral deposits research. He is now an adjunct professor and sometimes lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences at Memorial University, and hopes to continue research on a more independent and flexible basis. Geoscience Canada is indebted to Memorial for providing continued support and workspace for the editor. Andy hopes to continue the work that Brendan began, and to raise the profile of the journal. There is now reason why we cannot have International Stature!

Other things are in the works for later issues in 2016. More papers are coming in the Andrew Hynes Series (Tectonic Processes), and in the Igneous Rock Associations Series. We are also honouring a prominent medal recipient from a sister society (CANQUA). Mike Lewis' review paper on the postglacial history of the Great Lakes gives a glimpse into a very different vanished world, and also provides some insight into possible effects of modern-day climate change upon these icons of North America: Could the Great Lakes come to resemble the Great Basin? Find out!

The later issues for 2016 are filling up, although we hope to still have some space for new submissions. If you have something that is "almost written" (and who doesn't?) this is a good time to submit. Plus, the editor wants to take some summer vacation - get it in before mid-June!

In 2016, Geoscience Canada introduces a new Open Access Initiative that will provide immediate free and open online access to articles, if the authors contribute a modest Open Access Supplement upon publication. This will bring us in line with a growing movement, and will allow authors to easily comply with OA requirements of funding agencies. Other content will remain under subscription, but all papers will be open access after 3 years, aligned with current policy. For more information, see a commentary in the upcoming issue.

We are now seeking submissions for eye-catching cover photos for use on later issues in the next volume (2016). If you fancy seeing one of your pieces catch the eyes of others, check out the call for photos and rummage through your archives. Even if your photo doesn't make it on the the front cover of an upcoming issue, it might show up on the website homepage, where we are constantly changing visual content for our and your entertainment.
Click here for more information
We are always developing ideas for future thematic series papers. We want your ideas and thoughts, amd we need keen and dedicated people to serve as new series editors. Contact us!
We always need copy-editors at Geoscience Canada. If you are an experienced scientist with knowledge of language and writing, you can help us, and help authors. If you are unsure of your abilities, we can send you our dastardly "copy-editor self-test examination". If you enjoy working through this, you probably have what it takes. Contact Us!

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