[time-nuts] Cheap Rubidium

[Bruce Griffiths]

Magnus Danielson wrote:
> Bruce,
>
> Bruce Griffiths wrote:
>> At your location, at present, it wouldnt be a significant problem as 
>> long as the basement was unheated.
>
> Depends. But having 3 dm snow on the ground helps to keep the ground 
> around the house warmer, as it will insulate against the cold of the 
> open sky. -12.8 C is the lowest so far. Since winter is reoccuring, we 
> build the houses accordingly.
>
>> Also good ventilation would help, together with a thin layer of oil 
>> on top of the mercury.
>
> Mmm. Yes, didn't think about covering the baths with fluids.
>
>> The biggest obstacle would be the cost of the Mercury.
>
> Actually, it could be an obstcle just obtaining in those amounts it 
> here within EC, so it would involve some form of approval of some form 
> of excempt since it is mercury is a ROS element.
>
> Cheers,
> Magnus
>
>
Guidline price is around $US600/flask (1 flask = 34.5kg).
Thus cost for 145 ton would be around $US2.5million.

The Canadians have a liquid mercury mirror telescope about 6m in diameter.
Whilst this doesn't use 145 tons of mercury the surface area would be of 
the same order.

Bruce