The Future of Time: UTC and the Leap Second

TL;DR

This paper discusses the history and significance of UTC and leap seconds, highlighting the potential impact of redefining atomic timekeeping on global synchronization and time standards.

Contribution

It provides a historical overview and analysis of the leap second system and explores implications of a possible redefinition of UTC by international organizations.

Findings

Leap seconds are added to synchronize atomic time with Earth's rotation.

Redefining UTC could permanently break the link between atomic time and Earth's rotation.

Understanding history is crucial for future timekeeping policies.

Abstract

Before atomic timekeeping, clocks were set to the skies. But starting in 1972, radio signals began broadcasting atomic seconds and leap seconds have occasionally been added to that stream of atomic seconds to keep the signals synchronized with the actual rotation of Earth. Such adjustments were considered necessary because Earth's rotation is less regular than atomic timekeeping. In January 2012, a United Nations-affiliated organization could permanently break this link by redefining Coordinated Universal Time. To understand the importance of this potential change, it's important to understand the history of human timekeeping.