ANN ARBOR—University of Michigan environmental scientist Joel Blum has been named the inaugural editor of a new American Chemical Society journal dedicated to geochemistry, atmospheric and marine chemistry, and astrochemistry research.

ACS Earth and Space Chemistry will begin publication early next year and will unite the diverse and global community of scientists who explore the complex chemical nature of materials and processes that occur on Earth, within our solar system, and in the universe beyond.

“I am extremely excited about the introduction of this new ACS journal, because it brings together a large community of scientists from around the world who are investigating the chemistry of natural materials and processes on Earth and beyond,” Blum said.

“ACS Earth and Space Chemistry is the first journal that will bring this community together under the common theme of chemistry, and with the prestige and efficiency that are characteristic of ACS publications. My aim is to rapidly establish the journal as the leading publication for discussing the application of chemistry methodologies across the geological, planetary and astronomical sciences.”

Blum is the J.D. MacArthur Professor, A.F. Thurnau Professor and G.J. Keeler Distinguished University Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

He has made a significant impact in the fields of earth and space science. His recent research has focused on understanding the chemistry of mercury in aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric systems, in many cases using mercury stable isotope methods developed in his laboratory.

Blum’s other areas of inquiry, pursued while at Dartmouth College and U-M, include the petrogenesis of igneous rocks, mineral weathering and its effect on global climate, arsenic and lead in groundwater, and the effects of acid deposition and atmospheric dust on nutrient cycling in forests. Blum’s prolific scientific career accomplishments are also attested by his more than 200 research publications.

Research in earth and space chemistry focuses on the formation of, and interactions between, solid, liquid and gaseous materials. Findings are crucial to understanding contemporary and critical global issues, including the consequences of climate change, sustainability of soil and water resources, exploration for natural resources, and changes in atmospheric and ocean chemistry.

ACS Earth and Space Chemistry presents a new opportunity to enrich and expand the conversation about the integral role that chemistry plays in the study of fundamental and applied research in the fields of geology, astronomy, oceanography and atmospheric science. The peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal will serve as a new forum for discussion of important advances in the domains of high and low temperature geochemistry, atmospheric chemistry, marine chemistry, planetary chemistry, astrochemistry and analytical geochemistry.

ACS Earth and Space Chemistry will begin accepting research submissions for consideration on Oct. 25, 2016. The first online issue will be published in early 2017 and will include articles, letters, reviews and features, thus providing flexible formats for authors to communicate various aspects of their research discoveries.

ACS Publications, a division of the American Chemical Society, is a nonprofit scholarly publisher of 50 peer-reviewed journals and a range of eBooks at the interface of chemistry and allied sciences, including physics and biology. ACS Publications journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With nearly 157,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.