Continental Shelf Research

Aims & Scope

Continental Shelf Research publishes articles dealing with the biological, chemical, geological and physical oceanography of the shallow marine environment, from coastal and estuarine waters out to the shelf break.

The continental shelf is a critical environment within the land-ocean continuum, and many processes, functions and problems in the continental shelf are driven by terrestrial inputs transported through the rivers and estuaries to the coastal and continental shelf areas.

Manuscripts that deal with these topics must make a clear link to the continental shelf.

Examples of research areas include: Physical sedimentology and geomorphology Geochemistry of the coastal ocean (inorganic and organic) Marine environment and anthropogenic effects Interaction of physical dynamics with natural and manmade shoreline features Benthic, phytoplankton and zooplankton ecology Coastal water and sediment quality, and ecosystem health Benthic-pelagic coupling (physical and biogeochemical) Interactions between physical dynamics (waves, currents, mixing, etc.) and biogeochemical cycles Estuarine, coastal and shelf sea modelling and process studies.

View Aims & Scope

---

Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	2.2
2024	2.10

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	0.709

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

h-index

Year	Value
2024	135

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	7966

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	1037

---

---

Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

---

Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Agricultural and Biological Sciences and Earth and Planetary Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

---

Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Microbial biofilms in intertidal systems: an overview

  Citation: 684

  Authors: Alan W

• Discharge of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) into the East China Sea

  Citation: 570

  Authors: R.C., R., H., G.A.

• Turbidity as a control on phytoplankton biomass and productivity in estuaries

  Citation: 533

  Authors: James E.

• Responses of a coastal phytoplankton community to increased nutrient input from the Changjiang (Yangtze) River

  Citation: 519

  Authors: Ming-jiang, Zhi-liang, Ren-cheng

• Sedimentary features of the Yangtze River-derived along-shelf clinoform deposit in the East China Sea

  Citation: 494

  Authors: J.P., A.C., K.H., D.M., Z.S., J.D., D.J.

• Transport and deposition of river sediment in the Changjiang estuary and adjacent continental shelf

  Citation: 472

  Authors: John D., Shen, Yang, Robert

• Transformation of dissolved and particulate materials on continental shelves influenced by large rivers: plume processes

  Citation: 438

  Authors: M, R, S, D

• Overview of the South China Sea circulation and its influence on the coastal physical oceanography outside the Pearl River Estuary

  Citation: 421

  Authors: Su

• On the flocculation and settling velocity of estuarine mud

  Citation: 361

  Authors: J.C.

• Transport and transformation of dissolved and particulate materials on continental margins influenced by major rivers: benthic boundary layer and seabed processes

  Citation: 356

  Authors: B.A., R.C., M.A., T.S., G.C.

---