The dynamics of the European northwest shelf are analysed using both classical Eulerian and Lagrangian data from simulated particles. Focussing on the latter, a quantity named normalised cumulative particle density measures particle accumulation. Yearly averages reveal no surface accumulation areas in the deep ocean and elongated patterns on the shelf mainly along fronts. Sensitivity experiments show the influence of tides and wind, unveiling important vertical dynamics in coastal areas.

The exchange between the Humboldt and Patagonian large marine ecosystems, the largest marine ecosystems in the Southern Hemisphere, is investigated with numerical simulations. Most of the southern Patagonian Shelf waters originate from the South Pacific's upper layer. The exchange takes place mainly through the shelf break via the Cape Horn shelf. The interannual variability of shelf exchange is partly explained by the large-scale wind variability and associated with the Southern Annular Mode.

To the west of Britain and Ireland, a strong ocean current follows the steep slope that separates the deep Atlantic and the continental shelf. This “Slope Current” exerts an Atlantic influence on the North Sea and its ecosystems. Using a combination of computer modelling and archived data, we find that the Slope Current weakened over 1988–2007, reducing Atlantic influence on the North Sea, due to a combination of warming of the subpolar North Atlantic and weakening winds to the west of Scotland.

The relevance of including the wave effect into a nearshore circulation model is discussed. Two different approaches are tested in the framework of an operational forecast system. It is shown that the waves are essential to represent the circulation patterns near the coast. While it seams to be ideal to consider the full coupling between surface waves and ocean currents, a computationally cheaper alternative is tested and shown to give equivalent qualitative results.