Introduction
Aims and scope
Fizika A & B (Zagreb) are internationally peer-reviewed journals publishing the results of new and original research in all branches of physics and its applications, including teaching and history of physics. The journals are intended for a diverse readership of scientists, primarily physicists, in all parts of the world. The sole criteria for the acceptance of a manuscript for publication are the validity, importance and a broader interest, while the presentation should satisfy some basic standards. The quality of the published work is assured by the international refereeing of manuscripts submitted for publication.
History of the journals
Soon after the end of the Second World War, in August 1945, in a very difficult time, a group of mathematicians and physicists of the University of Zagreb, soon after joined by the astronomers at the University and the Observatory, initiated the founding of a new scientific journal in the Republic of Croatia (then a part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). It was named "Glasnik matematički, fizički i astronomski" (English translation Reports in Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy). The first issue was published in 1946, and four issues, in one volume per year, were regularly (with some delays) published until 1965. In total, 20 volumes, with 421 scientific articles, of which 279 in mathematics, 121 in physics and 21 in astronomy). Most articles were in English and French, a few in Croatian and Russian.
In 1965, the Society of Mathematicians, Physicists and Astronomers of the Republic of Croatia decided to specialize the journal "Glasnik matematički, fizički i astronomski" for mathematics and the name of the journal was changed to "Glasnik matematički" (Reports in Mathematics), the same as still used at present. The Society also decided to found a new journal that was intended for publications in the field of physics. The new journal, named Fizika, was visualized as a federal journal, i.e., a joint enterprise of all six republics and two autonomous regions of the former Yugoslavia. The initiative from Croatia was accepted at the IV Congress of Mathematicians, Physicists and Astronomers of Yugoslavia in Sarajevo in October 1965. However, it took a rather long time, until the beginning of 1968, to obtain the approvals from all eight entities of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and from the federal authorities. Professor A. Moljk (Republic of Slovenia) was appointed the Editor and Professor M. Kasumović (Republic of Croatia) the Publications Editor, while other editors and the Editorial Council were from all republics and autonomous regions. The technical work and publishing were centred in Zagreb (Croatia). In 1978, after Professor M. Kasumović resigned, there were some initiatives to transfer the publishing to Belgrade. However, the approvals from all six republics and two autonomous regions of Yugoslavia were not obtained and the seat remained in Zagreb. The new Editor, Professor G. Alaga, and new editorial staff, were appointed. The Editorial Council was enlarged and a new international Editorial Board was appointed. Professor Alaga took great care to improve the journal. The number of articles increased, their quality improved, and a considerable number of contributions from authors from abroad were published.
In 1969, the European Physical Society (EPS) approved the application of the Croatian Physical Society for the recognition of the journal Fizika as a European journal, and approved that the EPS logo and "EUROPHYSICS JOURNAL" be printed on the front cover of the journal. At the end of 1981, after a revision by the EPS, the approval was withdrawn. That decision was, in the opinion of the present Editor, a result of some animosities within the Croatian Physical Society in a period of time prior to the decision.
Unfortunately, Professor Alaga died in the autumn of 1988. The political situation in the former Yugoslavia grew increasingly tense. That was probably the main reason while a new Editor was not appointed before the spring of 1991. Professor V. Šips, Publishing Editor since 1978, was taking care of the journal. In March of 1991, the Congress of the Croatian Physical Society elected Professor K. Ilakovac as the new candidate for the Editor of Fizika. The proposal was approved by the Federal Committee of the Union of Mathematicians, Physicists and Astronomers of Yugoslavia in April 1991.
In the spring of 1991, new parliaments of the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia brought historical decisions of dissolving their ties with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. That was the beginning of the breakup of Yugoslavia. War broke out first in Slovenia and lasted about a month with relatively few casualties. But soon after, in August of 1991, war broke out in Croatia and lasted until the summer of 1995, with many casualties.
In 1991, the ties of the physical (and many other) societies in Yugoslavia were broken, too. The Croatian Physical Society took over the publishing of the journal Fizika to complete the last volume of the series, volume 23. Since 1969, in the 23 volumes, 831 articles were published by authors from all continents.
The Croatian Physical Society decided to split the journal Fizika into Fizika A (Atomic and Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter and Plasma Physics, recently extended by Classical Physics) and Fizika B (General Physics, Nuclear Physics, Particles and Fields and Astrophysics, recently extended by Teaching and History of Physics). New international Editorial Boards were elected. Soon after, the first issues of volumes 1 (1992) of Fizika A (Zagreb) and Fizika B (Zagreb) were published. The first four volumes of either journal (years 1992 - 1995) were published in three issues per volume (year). Since 1996, four issues (numbers) are published per volume.
Online editions
The presentation of the journals Fizika A & B (Zagreb) on Internet started in 1993. The home pages of the Croatian Physical Society were established in the spring of that year which included the home pages of the journals. The titles, bylines and abstracts of articles, and contents of all issues from 1992 on were presented in html. The home pages were redone in the spring of 1998. Then also complete articles were included in PostScript (PS) and Portable Document Format (PDF) formats. Thus, since the spring of 1998 and starting with volumes 6 (1997), Fizika A & B (Zagreb) are both printed (classical) and electronic journals. The pages of online editions are updated regularly as new issues are published. The access to the pages is unrestricted.
Change of the editions
In the spring of 2001, the Council of the Croatian Physical Society accepted the proposal to make a change of the editions of the journals. Basically, the journals Fizika A and Fizika B have become electronic journals in addition to being classical (printed) journals. The edition on Internet has been continued number after number, with some improvements.
Since the beginning of 2001, the aims have been that the printing would be done four times a year, and the reprints would be bound and distributed accordingly. But the printed material for the complete-volume issues would be stored and the bound for the distribution only once a year (at the end of year). The quality of the binding has be improved as each issue has been hard bound. This change started with volumes 10 (2001) of both Fizika A and Fizika B. These and following issues are sent to subscribers only once a year. Each printed issue is supplemented by its complete file on a CD ROM in PS and PDF formats, including the masthead, welcome, introduction etc pages, too.
We hope, the new ways of presentation of our journals will be welcome by our readers.