Announcement: Beam Physics in the Physical Review (January 2, 2007)

The American Physical Society (APS) announces that effective January 1, 2007, the designated home for all manuscripts devoted primarily to beam physics is Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams (PRST-AB). Physical Review E (PRE) will no longer consider papers in accelerator and beam physics and the beam physics section of the journal shall be retired.

The Editors and Editorial Board members of both journals believe strongly that this action is timely and appropriate. PRST-AB is now well established, and it has become the dominant APS journal for publication of beam and accelerator physics and related technology.

In most cases, authors who submit manuscripts in this field to PRE will be encouraged to request transfer to PRST-AB or to submit to some other journal. However, interdisciplinary manuscripts, such as those with an emphasis on fundamental physics concerning plasma wakefield accelerators or particle production via illumination of thin foils with intense lasers, may still be considered for publication in PRE; if accepted, they would appear in the plasma physics section. Similarly, other interdisciplinary manuscripts related to beam physics may be considered for relevant sections of any PR journal. Physical Review Letters shall continue to consider appropriate manuscripts in this and all other fields of physics.