Yu-Shih LIN
Yu-Shih Lin, Associate Professor
Ph.D., Dept. of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Germany
| Office | MA2048 |
| yushih@mail.nsysu.edu.tw | |
| Phone | 886-7-5252000 ext. 5157, 5492 |
| List of Publications | Research Gate（click here to download） NSTC Webpage |
| List of Projects | NSTC Webpage (only in Chinese) |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6498-0341 |
| 2009 | Ph.D., Dept. of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Germany |
| 2006 | M.Sc., Dept. of Geosciences, National Taiwan University |
| 2003 | B.Sc., Dept. of Geography, National Taiwan University |
| 2020/02 - present | Associate professor, Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan |
| 2012/12 - 2020/1 | Assistant professor, Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan |
| 2009/12 - 2012/11 | Postdoctoral fellow, MARUM, Germany |
| 2025/10 - present | Director, International Doctoral Program of Marine Science and Technology , National Sun Yat-sen University |
| 2023/9 - present | Manager, R/V New Ocean Researcher 3 , College of Marine Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University |
- Isotope geochemistry
- Organic geochemistry
- Carbon cycle of shallow and deep hydrothermal systems
- Carbon cycle of marine sediment
- Isotope ratio mass spectrometer (Delta V Plus, Thermo Fisher Scientific) equipped with a dual inlet and coupled to an elemental analyzer (Flash 2000) and a gas chromatograph (Trace GC Ultra)
- Dissolved carbon analyzer (Shimadzu TOC-L)
- Alpha counter (920E, EtherNIM)
- Vacuum line for dissolved inorganic carbon and dissolved organic carbon
(Last update: January 1st, 2026)
My ongoing research topics include two directions: the relationship among sediment transport,organic matter composition, and carbon cycle in different types of source-to-sink systems around Taiwan, and the carbon cycle in the CO2-rich hydrothermal system of the Southern Okinawa Trough (SOT).
Sediment transport and carbon cycle triggered by episodic events
On April 3, 2024, Hualien was struck by the strongest earthquake since the 1999 Chi-Chi event . In response to calls from the academic community, I organized a rapid-response cruise of R/V NOR3 to conduct marine geological survey near the epicenter. Later, with the support of R/V NOR3 MIC , we successfully deployed and retrieved a moored sediment trap that captured the impacts of earthquakes and typhoons on sediment transport and carbon cycling off eastern Taiwan ( manuscript in preparation ). Building on this effort, I will further employ acoustic instruments under the EAGER project (led by Prof. Chih-Chieh Su of NTU) to investigate deep-sea density flows—mysterious undercurrents known as the fastest in the ocean and capable of transporting sediment across vast distances. I warmly welcome interested undergraduates and graduate students to join us in this endeavor.
Remineralization and organic matter composition of shelf sediments
Since 2016, I joined the FATES team led by Prof. James T. Liu (NSYSU). Systematic sampling of shelf sediments started in 2018, when I initiated a program (in collaboration with Prof. Chih-Lin Wei of NTU) comparing sedimentary oxygen consumption and organic matter composition in different river-shelf systems. In the NE Taiwan Strait , a new orogen-small river-passive margin system, we observed differential transport for terrestrial and petrogenic organic carbon, and the varying spatial distribution of organic matter affects sedimentary oxygen consumption rates ( Lin et al., 2025, GCA ). Other ongoing topics include: 1) the isotopic and molecular composition of particulate organic matter in the NE Taiwan Strait ( Lin et al., submitted ), and 2) comparison between the NE Taiwan Strait and Gaoping River Shelf, an active margin system sustained by new orogen-small rivers.
CO2-rich hydrothermal systems of the SOT
Since 2017, I joined the team organized by the Central Geological Survey of Taiwan and participated in multiple cruises to the SOT , which is known for its active hydrothermalism in a sedimented basin. A domestic ROV was involved in the survey and sampling campaigns between 2019 and 2021. An exceptional collection of samples including vent CO2-spiked deep seawater, CO2-impregnated sediment, and unusual minerals were retrieved during the project. A preliminary study summarizing the geochemistry of sediment less affected by hydrothermalism has been published ( Lin et al., 2019, TAO ). My recent publication combines geochemical and physical oceanographic approaches to estimate the flux of hydrothermal dissolved inorganic carbon in the Southwestern Okinawa Trough ( Lin et al., 2024, JGR Oceans ). Other ongoing topics include: 1) How does liquid CO2 affect the organic geochemistry of the sediment? 2) What does the unusual mineral tell us about the interplay between sedimentary events and hydrothermal activity?
(Last update: September 30, 2025)
Shallow-water hydrothermal systems of the Kueishantao
From 2015 to 2020, my research has been focusing on the carbon cycles of a shallow-water hydrothermal field off the NE coast of Taiwan ( Kueishantao Islet ). The research team clarified the hydrodynamics involved in the vertical and lateral plumes using numeral modeling ( Lin et al., 2019, Mar. Chem. ) and flow field measurements ( Lin et al., 2020, Mar. Geol. ), discussed the impact of vent CO2 on carbonate chemistry of surrounding waters ( Lin et al., 2019, Mar. Chem. ), determined the primary production using stable carbon isotopes ( Lin et al., 2021, Geobiology ), and clarified whether and how aged CO2 propagates into dissolved inorganic carbon and particulate organic carbon of the hydrothermal plume ( Wang et al., 2022, G-cubed ). Our work provides a dynamic view on how the carbon cycling and processing are affected by the motion of water in a rapidly flushed vent field. Recently, I collaborated with scientists from MARUM (Germany) to investigate the composition and isotopic signatures of lipid biomarkers in this area ( Maak et al., 2025, Biogeosciences ).
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Lin, Y. S. (2023) Four seasons in northern Germany. Invited article for the European Union Centre, Office of the International Affairs, NSYSU (only in Chinese). Link
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Lin, Y. S. (2020) The fantastic milky sea of the Kueishantao is in fact more like “yogurt (acidic and bacteria-rich)”. Invited article for the Oceanographic Society of the Republic of China (only in Chinese). Link
- Practice of Marine GIS Data
- Introduction to Geochemistry (2023): Link
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Scientific English
