Abstract
To find the characteristics of short-period variations in the nearshore water environments, and the related crossshore transport process of materials at an open coast in stratified condition, a long-period mooring observation and an intensive survey by means of a research vessel and an observatory pier were performed at the Kajima coast in Japan. The results of the data analysis show that the diurnal variation of water temperature, which is one of the most characteristic features in the nearshore water environment, is induced by the run-up and -down motion of diurnal internal waves at the nearshore region. The internal waves play significant role in the crossshore transport of chlorophyll. a, turbidity and planktonic larvae. The internal waves transport may reach a very shallow water region close to the shore.
