The Goldschmidt conference abstracts

The Goldschmidt Conference abstracts There are a few things new about Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta of late, mostly having to do with electronic communication in some way. In addition to the traditional paper copy, individual society member subscribers now get electronic access to GCA on Elsevier’s website, a portable access which is independent of any institutional subscription. All authors get temporary (three months) access to the same website (so that they can download their own articles and make their own reprints if they like), whether or not they or their institutions subscribe and even whether or not they are members of either sponsoring society. Both access paths are free, at least for now, compliments of Elsevier. Another change is that authors may (optionally) get their proofs and return corrections electronically, through the printer’s website. In addition, authors and reviewers have been able to submit and receive manuscripts and reviews electronically for some time now, and as time goes on more and more of them are exploiting this facility. Some of them even like it. All of these things function as conveniences for everybody involved: authors, reviewers, associate editors, the editorial office, even the publisher and printer, but they do not change the basic character of GCA, the fundamental mission of which has remained constant for longer than any of us can remember. The same philosophy underlies the change which is the proximate cause for this editorial and which will be most obvious to anyone reading this in the paper copy: Beginning this year, GCA will publish a special supplemental issue containing the abstracts for the V. M. Goldschmidt Conference, named in honor of the person many consider to have founded the modern science of geochemistry. Although the abstracts for this and other conferences have been collected mostly electronically for some time now, initiation of Goldschmidt abstract publication in GCA is not an electronic development. Instead,

it reflects the growing importance of the Goldschmidt Conference to the geochemical and cosmochemical scientific communities, as well as the fact that it has been adopted as the official annual meeting of the Geochemical Society, one of the two societies that sponsor GCA. The benefits of publishing these abstracts are perceived to be that they will be readily accessible, and findable, even for scientists who do not attend the conference, and that they can be cited as regular (non-gray) professional literature. Since not all conference attendees will be able to read the CD at the conference, having hardcopy abstracts available during the conference is also taken to be a plus. Although not everybody agrees with this step, there is a clear consensus among the editor, the publisher and the governance of the sponsoring societies that publishing Goldschmidt Conference abstracts in GCA is a beneficial service to the sponsoring societies, and the larger communities which they represent, and is therefore a good thing for the journal to do. Citation of Goldschmidt Conference abstracts may follow the form illustrated below, Downhill W. G., Slalom O. M, Mogul B. H. and Biathlon, C. C. (2002) Relationship between snow conditions and hotel prices in Davos in August. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 66, A345 (abstr.). Without mention of any names (lest inadvertent omission of any name be taken as a slight), a lot of people and several different organizations have contributed substantial effort, good will, skill and cooperation to make this actually happen. They deserve our sincere thanks. Those who will carry the ball in the future deserve our best wishes and cooperation. Frank A. Podosek