Why Another New Journal?
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Why Another New Journal? Michael I. Baskes Consider atomistics, for example. Currently we can perform highly reliable, semi-empirical, molecular dynamics simulations of about a million atoms for about a nanosecond. These calculations can yield important quantitative information about mechanisms, e.g., of dislocation interactions with precipitates or of the fracture process, but they are a far cry from the real world problems which involve processes of 1023 atoms over times that could span years. These calculations can be made useful, however, by combining them with microscopic or continuum models based on the mechanisms observed in computer simulations. The combined model has the potential of predictive capability. Continuum models by themselves, however, are not predictive. They require input of phenomenological parameters or materials properties that traditionally are extracted from experiment, but also maybe obtained from atomistic simulations. How can we facilitate this necessary collaboration? Perhaps we can make a start by creating a common publication arena. During the workshop it was also discovered that materials scientists, physicists, chemists, and mechanics experts generally rials Science and Engineering. We convened don't talk across disciplines with one anthe workshop because new atomistic and other, don't publish in the same journals, continuum methods, aided by the emerand don't frequent the same meetings. A gence of more powerful computational fanotable exception has been the Materials cilities, are making the prediction of Research Society, which fosters interacmechanical material behavior a reality. The tions among the materials, physics, and attendees were chosen to represent the chemistry communities at its Fall and broad spectrum of computations—i.e., atSpring Meetings. More commonly, each omistics, dislocations/interfaces, microgroup of scientists and engineers is unstructure, and continuum elasticity and aware of the computations and simulaplasticity—necessary to make mechanical tions of the other groups. In fact, they may behavior prediction possible. Over the not realize that their research could procourse of the three-day workshop, we disvide the key link to reality that another covered some crucial information: group needs. It seemed dear that in order to impact mechanical properties calcula• None of us alone or with our current coltions, it was important to get all of these laborators could impact the field of mepeople talking. Could a specialized journal chanical property prediction. provide the exposure that would spark col• It will take joint collaboration between laborative research? By providing a forum scientists and engineers working at all spatial levels to make the dream of mechanical for computational materials science at all levels, I felt that such a journal could foster property prediction come true. the communication that is clearly absent. Once therightmix of people started talking, the above conclusions became clear. If this problem exists in the area of meLast year when
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