Under sea watchdog

An unique sea-floor observatory to keep a watch on two under-sea volcanoes is in the offing near the coasts ofWashington and Oregon in the US. Part of the National Science Foundation's RIDGE (Ridge Inter- Disciplinary Global Experiments) programme, the observatory will be set up on the ocean floor to monitor seismic activity, currents, temperature change, and marine biota at the two volcanic sites. Armed with seismometers, current meter moorings, video cameras and other instruments, the observatory is expected to be ready before the turn of the century (Science, Vo1270, No 5242).