• DocumentCode
    1905639
  • Title

    How can millisecond pulsars transfer the accuracy of atomic time?

  • Author

    Petit, Gérard ; Cognard, Ismaël

  • Author_Institution
    Bur. Int. des Poids et Mesures, Sèvres, France
  • fYear
    2011
  • fDate
    13-20 Aug. 2011
  • Firstpage
    1
  • Lastpage
    4
  • Abstract
    Atomic time scales like TAI and TT(BIPM) get their accuracy from primary frequency standards (presently Caesium fountains) which realize the SI second. The rotation period of some millisecond pulsars is so regular that they may provide information on the long term stability of atomic time scales. As atomic frequency standards continuously improve, atomic time progressively outperforms the rotation of pulsars. Nevertheless millisecond pulsars could be used as a flywheel to transfer the accuracy of newly developed standards to the past. We study the factors that may limit this transfer and estimate the accuracy that could be reached, with examples based on real pulsar data.
  • Keywords
    atomic clocks; frequency stability; frequency standards; pulsars; stellar rotation; time measurement; BIPM; International Bureau of Weights and Measures; TAI; TT; atomic frequency standards; atomic time accuracy; atomic time scale long term stability; atomic time scales; international atomic time; millisecond pulsar rotation period; millisecond pulsars; primary frequency standards; terrestrial time; Accuracy; Atomic clocks; Extraterrestrial measurements; Stability criteria; Systematics; Timing;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • Conference_Titel
    General Assembly and Scientific Symposium, 2011 XXXth URSI
  • Conference_Location
    Istanbul
  • Print_ISBN
    978-1-4244-5117-3
  • Type

    conf

  • DOI
    10.1109/URSIGASS.2011.6050334
  • Filename
    6050334