Our Vision for JGR: Machine Learning and Computation

Abstract

This editorial introduces the inaugural issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research: Machine Learning and Computation to the scientific community, elucidating the motivations and vision behind its establishment. The landscape of computational tools for geoscientists has undergone a rapid transformation in the last decade, akin to a new scientific revolution challenging the traditional scientific method. The paradigm shift emphasizes the integration of data-driven methods and the possibility of predicting and/or reproducing the evolution of natural phenomena with computers as the fourth pillar of scientific discovery, sparking debates on trustworthiness, and ethical implications. The data science revolution is fueled by the convergence of advancements, including the big-data revolution, GPU market expansion, and significant investments in Artificial Intelligence and high performance computing by both institutional and private players. This transformation has given rise to a trans-disciplinary community that has investigated a wide range of questions under the lens of machine learning (ML) approaches and has generally advanced the field of computational methods within the broader geosciences community, the core of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) membership. Responding to an unmet demand in the existing worldwide editorial offer, the Journal of Geophysical Research: Machine Learning and Computation aims to serve as an intellectual crucible, fostering collaborations across multiple geophysical disciplines and data scientists. The journal welcomes papers with strong methodological developments that allow for geoscience advancements grounded in specific computational and data-driven methods, leveraging ML as well as innovative computational strategies, and leading to breakthrough discoveries and original scientific outcomes. Authors are encouraged to balance succinctness in introducing methods with a thorough exploration of the novelty of the work proposed and its future applications placing special emphasis on the connection between the data science approach and the scientific outcome, considering a broad readership. Emphasis on result reproducibility aligns with AGU guidance, inviting active participation from the community in shaping geophysical research in the era of machine learning and computation.