[1] It contains original research on the physical, chemical, and biological processes that contribute to the understanding of the Earth, Sun, and Solar System.

The journal was originally founded under the name Terrestrial Magnetism by the American Geophysical Union's president Louis Agricola Bauer in 1896.

[4] In 1980, three specialized sections were established: A: Space Physics, B: Solid Earth, and C: Oceans.

[5] Subsequently, further sections have been added: D: Atmospheres in 1984,[5] E: Planets in 1991,[6] F: Earth Surface in 2003,[7] and G: Biogeosciences in 2005.

[8] According to the Editor-in-Chief of JGR-Space Physics, as of 2014[update] "With the switch to Wiley, the separate sections of JGR were given distinct ISSN numbers.