Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Science

In common with the other sections of Acta, Section B presents a fresh new image for Y2K - no bugs, just a much enhanced presentation of Structural Science. These upgrades are possible owing to technological advances that allow the IUCr's journals to significantly improve their position as world leaders in crystallographic information provision. The technology also underpins exciting new developments in electronic manuscript handling and the availability of published papers via Crystallography Journals Online. The impact of these changes is summarized in an Editorial, 'Section B enters the electronic era', that accompanies the February 2000 issue.

The most important concern for Section B is the quality and breadth of its scientific content. Since 1983, its remit has been to publish original scientific research in which 'structure' is the central theme. During the 1990s, this remit has extended to include highquality Lead Articles and Topical Reviews.

Section B covers a broad chemical spectrum from inorganics and minerals through metallo-organics to purely organic compounds. Within that spectrum, Section B has continually reflected the enormous impact of crystallography in structural science. Today, current leading-edge developments include experiments at nonstandard temperatures and pressures, studies of novel materials and their physical properties, phase transitions, charge densities, intermolecular interactions, supramolecular structural organization, crystal engineering, database applications, and the burgeoning field of structure determination from powder data. The Editorial Board has been enhanced in recent months by the appointment of S. van Smaalen (U. of Bayreuth) and G. Chapuis (U. of Lausanne) to provide additional expertise in inorganic and materials structures.