The Earth Science Informatics [ESIN] journal aims at rapid  publication of high-quality, current, cutting-edge, and provocative scientific work in the area of Earth Science Informatics as it relates to Earth systems science and space science. This includes articles on the application of formal and computational methods, computational Earth science, spatial and temporal analyses, and all aspects of computer applications to the acquisition, storage, processing, interchange, and visualization of data and information about the materials, properties, processes, features, and phenomena that occur at all scales and locations in the Earth system’s five components (atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, cryosphere) and in space (see "About this journal" for more detail). The quarterly journal publishes research, methodology, and software articles, as well as editorials, comments, and book and software reviews. Review articles of relevant findings, topics, and methodologies are also considered. Research, Technology and Education Objectives ESIN will help to develop and shape the new field of Earth Science Informatics. It is intended to provide a dissemination platform for research using systems-based approaches to solve multi-scale Earth science problems by encouraging the development of robust formal and computational models and information systems. Since Earth Science Informatics is a new field just now emerging there is little precedence how to formally educate traditional domain knowledge-oriented scientists and engineers to become informaticists, and also how to effectively integrate cyberinfrastructure into Earth science education. The Earth Science Informatics journal will act as a venue to share experiences and concepts for educational approaches to accomplish the training of the next generation of Earth science informaticists as well as bringing cyberinfrastructure into the scholarly and graduate-level education. Rationale for the Journal Earth Science Informatics is a rapidly developing, interdisciplinary field with the potential to have a significant impact on the advancement of Earth system science by deriving new knowledge about the Earth system through formal information-rich and semantic-based approaches. Analysis and understanding of complex Earth phenomena and processes necessitate the integration of field, experimental, theoretical, and computation research through informatics.