Leap Seconds: Story of the Transfer from Astronomical to Atomic Time

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Scientific Paper
Title Leap Seconds: Story of the Transfer from Astronomical to Atomic Time
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Author(s) Louis Essen
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Published 1981
Journal Wireless World
Number July
No. of pages 2
Pages 39-40

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Abstract

Most people now know that all time measurements and time signals throughout the world are based on atomic clocks but the need to adjust them by one second at the end of the year is not well understood. It follow. from the fact that the signals must not only give precise uniform intervals of time but must also give the time of day which is determined by the non-uniform rotation of the earth. The transfer from astronomical to atomic time and the co-ordination of the two systems was an important step in the advance of science and it is surprising that the full story his never been told. The requirements of radio engineers were always prominent in the discussions.