Progress and practice in physics journal publishing: Trends toward open access, interdisciplinarity, and cluster development

Abstract

Background: The international publishing landscape of physics journals is undergoing a significant transformation that is driven by the rapid growth of open access (OA) models, increasing interdisciplinary integration, and the trend toward cluster-based development. This shift reflects evolving modes of scholarly communication and responses to the growing need for multidisciplinary collaboration in addressing frontier scientific challenges. Methods: This study utilized bibliometric data from Clarivate's Journal Citation Reports (JCR) between 2022 and 2024, complemented by case analyses of major international publishers and initiatives such as the Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics (SCOAP³). Comparative and trend analyses were used to examine the development of OA journals, interdisciplinary integration, and publisher clustering in physics. Results: The number of gold OA physics journals indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) increased by 23% from 2022 to 2024, significantly surpassing the overall growth rate of physics journals. Interdisciplinary journals constitute 94.6% of the physics group and generally exhibit higher impact factors than traditional single-discipline journals. Publisher clustering is prominent, with the top five publishing groups accounting for nearly 46% of physics journals by 2024. Initiatives like SCOAP³ have further advanced global OA cooperation. Conclusion: The physics journal publishing ecosystem is evolving toward enhanced openness, interdisciplinarity, and concentration. Although these trends enhance the efficiency and reach of scientific communication, they pose challenges related to financial sustainability, editorial fairness, and market diversity. Strategic efforts in OA adoption, interdisciplinary capacity building, and cluster development are essential for advancing physics publishing, particularly in the context of developing world-class journals with Chinese characteristics.