This paper presents the results on internal wave analysis of the current meter mooring data in the New York Bight from the SAR Internal Wave Signature Experiment (SARSEX). Selective sets of current and temperature measurements are analyzed for a parametric study of internal wave characteristics and shear effects on wave parameters are studied based on the limited data from moorings. The solitary wave theory has been extended for the wave evolution on a continental shelf by including dissipation and shoaling effects; a series of numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the relative importance of dissipation and shoaling effects. From an observed initial wave packet at the upstream mooring, the numerical evolution simulation compares reasonably well with the measurements at the distant mooring for the leading two large solitons. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1988.