Journal decision profile

Physical Review C

Physics and Astronomy

Physical Review C's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 3.0, ranking Q1 in Nuclear and High Energy Physics. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

American Institute of PhysicsUnited StatespISSN 2469-9985eISSN 2469-9993
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Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
3.0

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 3.30.

Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED

Not available — there are not enough recent PubMed records with both received and accepted dates.

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
Not available

No journal-level APC is available in the current OpenAlex snapshot. Cost is excluded from scoring.

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Does your manuscript fit Physical Review C?

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At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
i
Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
3.02026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
i
Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#14 / 816LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
i
Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
50%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
1.32MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
—NOT AVAILABLE
Recent output
i
Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
966 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share50%

1933 of 3,863 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share2.5%

95 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI1.32×

Above field-year expectation

Source output rank#14

of 816 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 1.32, so its typical recent paper runs about 32% above its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

50% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2016–2025

11262016
11012017
11032018
10572019
10422020
9382021
10172022
8762023
10322024
11232025

Recent work-type mix

3,863 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Article97.3%
Erratum2.4%
Editorial0.1%
Letter0.1%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and research coverage

OpenAlex topics show the research communities this journal serves.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
Nuclear physics research studies2147
High-Energy Particle Collisions Research643
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research182
Quantum Chromodynamics and Particle Interactions152
Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies106
Nuclear Physics and Applications87
Neutrino Physics Research82
Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates45
Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research41
Nuclear reactor physics and engineering39
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-08-12. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 3,863 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
Nuclear and High Energy PhysicsQ1
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and OpticsQ2

Is Physical Review C a good journal?

Yes. A Q1 journal by citation data

Yes. By citation data, Physical Review C is a strong journal: it is Q1 in Nuclear and High Energy Physics and ranks #242 of 886 Physics & Astronomy journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 28%). Physical Review C's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 3.0. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Nuclear and High Energy Physics and Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, so check that your topic fits its scope.

Best quartile
Q1
Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Rank in Physics & Astronomy
#242 of 886
Top 28%
2026 Journal Metrics Score
3.0
Acceptance rate
Not published
By the journal or publisher
Papers published in 2025
1,123
OpenAlex works

Check before you submit

  • Confirm the journal is indexed where your institution or funder requires (for example Scopus or PubMed) before you submit.

Verdict from citation data only: quartile and field rank by Journal Metrics Score (OpenAlex), publisher-reported acceptance rates, and PubMed submission and acceptance dates. See how we rank journals and how to verify indexing.

Q1
Subfield Quartile
B2
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#242
of 886 Physics & Astronomy field journals
#215
among Q1 Physics & Astronomy journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
48,092
H-Index
278
Fully Open Access
No
Recent OA Works
20,732
Subject Areas
Nuclear and High Energy PhysicsAtomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

How to submit to Physical Review C

  1. 1

    Check the scope

    OpenAlex classifies Physical Review C's papers in subfields including Nuclear and High Energy Physics and Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics. Read the aims and scope page and a few recent papers close to your topic before you prepare the manuscript.

  2. 2

    Follow the author guidelines

    Article types, word and figure limits, reference style, and the required statements (data availability, ethics, conflicts of interest, author contributions) are set by the journal. Prepare the cover letter and files to match them.

    Physical Review C homepage ↗
  3. 3

    Submit online

    Use the submit link in Physical Review C's author guidelines; American Institute of Physics runs the submission site. Every author usually needs an ORCID iD, and the corresponding author needs an account on the submission site.

  4. 4

    Plan for costs

    OpenAlex has no article processing charge on record. Check the journal website for page charges or an optional open-access fee.

  5. 5

    Know what to expect

    Physical Review C does not publish an acceptance rate.

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Common questions about Physical Review C

Is Physical Review C a good journal?

Yes. By citation data, Physical Review C is a strong journal: it is Q1 in Nuclear and High Energy Physics and ranks #242 of 886 Physics & Astronomy journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 28%). Physical Review C's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 3.0. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Nuclear and High Energy Physics and Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, so check that your topic fits its scope.

What is Physical Review C's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

Physical Review C's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 3.0, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What is the acceptance rate of Physical Review C?

We have not found an official acceptance rate published by Physical Review C or its publisher, and Journal Metrics does not estimate one because submission counts are not public. To judge selectivity, compare Physical Review C's quartile and score with similar journals, or ask the editorial office.

What quartile is Physical Review C in?

Physical Review C's best quartile is Q1. By OpenAlex subfield: Q1 in Nuclear and High Energy Physics; Q2 in Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for Physical Review C will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

Which journals are alternatives to Physical Review C?

Comparable journals include International Journal of Modern Physics E, Nuclear Physics A, European Physical Journal A, and Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

How do I submit a paper to Physical Review C?

Submit online through the link in Physical Review C's author guidelines on the journal homepage. Before submitting, check the scope, follow the author guidelines for article type, length, and required statements, and prepare a cover letter.

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