LARGE ASTRONOMICAL LIQUID MIRRORS

We present a design for large rotating liquid mirrors. These mirrors a re stiff lightweight structures designed to support a thin reflective mercury surface layer. The general design features and fabrication tec hniques are described and approximate analytic formulas are derived de scribing the flexural, vibrational, and stability characteristics of t hese mirrors. As an example, we describe in detail the 2.7-m mirror of the UBC/Laval liquid mirror observatory. We conclude by considering t he feasibility of employing this design for very large liquid mirrors.