OCE 9618293 Klinck The objectives of the project are to obtain a dynamical understanding of the circulation and water property variations within steep sided canyons. Interaction of canyons with the coastal circulation will also be investigated. A three-phase approach will be used, combining field observations, numerical modeling, and laboratory experiments. Existing observations will be further analyzed and used for initialization of model and lab simulations. Simulations will concentrate on Astoria Canyon, where the most extensive data exist. The principal issues to be addressed are the relative importance of various flow regimes, the dependence of the flow on forcing mechanisms, and tidal effects.