The interaction between the submarine canyon topography and coastal current has very important influence on the flow field around the canyon. This study aims to understand the nature of the interaction and the associated dynamic around the Kao-ping Submarine Canyon in southern Taiwan. In 2000 and 2002 year during the flood season of the Kao-ping River, moored instruments were deployed in the Kao-ping Submarine Canyon, Kao-ping River mouth, and Kao-ping shelf for one month. The results revealed sea surface fluctuations were dominated by the tide. The sea surface fluctuations at Kao-ping River mouth and Liu-Chiu Yu Island belong to mixed tide with diurnal dominance. But the sea surface fluctuations on the shelf belong to mixed tide is having by semi-diurnal dominance. The current fields of the shelf and canyon both are dominated by semi-diurnal tide. The energy of tidal current is stronger with increasing canyon depths. Results of harmonic analysis show that the current field of canyon bottom layer and on the shelf both is dominated by the M2 component. The variation of temperature field is regulated by tidal currents. During floods, shelf flow is northwestward and the current of canyon bottom layer flow downcanyon. During ebbs, shelf flow is southeastward and the current of canyon bottom layer flow upcanyon. The interaction between the temperature field of submarine canyon and shelf is pronounced. The tidal fluctuation of temperature field on shelf is especially conspicuous during spring tide. When temperature decreases in the submarine canyon, the shelf temperature begins to decline. When temperature increases in the submarine canyon, the shelf temperature begins to arise. The results of harmonic analysis reveal that the temperature field of the canyon leads that of the shelf around 2.08 hours. The current field of bottom layer in the canyon flows towards the canyon head during ebb tides. It brings the colder and deeper water to canyon head along the canyon axis. The colder and deeper water causes the water temperature to decrease in the canyon and on the shelf. During flood tides, the colder and deeper water withdraw from the canyon head region, which makes the shelf temperature increase. The currents on the Kao-ping shelf both are largely alongshore in 2000 and 2002 observations. The alongshore mean current is northwestward. The current velocity of surface layer is greater than that of the bottom layer. In Kao-ping Submarine Canyon, the mean current of bottom layer at 195m and 245m flows in opposite directions. It flows downcanyon offshore at 195m and upcanyon at 245m. The current velocity of 245m is greater than 195m. Mean current flow of bottom layer is downcanyon along canyon axis at 280m in 2002 year. During the transition between ebb tide and flood tide, temperature fields of canyon and shelf show trend reversal. Submarine canyons play an important role in transport deeper and colder water. The interaction of canyon and shelf current field can influence the variation of shelf temperature. The tidal current velocity is stronger in spring tide. It is easier to make deeper and colder water to ascend to the shelf. The influence of current is more noticeable to adjust on the shelf and canyon temperature fields during the spring tide. The results of scale analysis show the canyon topography can influence coastal current when the radius deformation of the canyon is smaller than the canyon width. The canyon current will produce phenomena of upwelling and down-welling with tidal periods. This seems match Klink¡¦s¡]1996¡^model results.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 170-177).