Incorporating an Optical Clock into a Time Scale

TL;DR

This paper explores integrating an optical clock into a time scale, providing guidelines for operation frequency and duration, and comparing its benefits to existing timekeeping standards like UTC(NIST) and Cs fountains.

Contribution

It offers novel strategies for incorporating optical clocks into time scales and evaluates their advantages over traditional cesium-based standards.

Findings

Optical clocks can enhance time scale accuracy and stability.

Intermittent operation strategies are effective for optical clock integration.

Comparison shows potential improvements over current UTC(NIST) performance.

Abstract

This paper discusses how to build a time scale with an intermittently-operated optical clock. In particular, it gives suggestions on how long and how often to run an optical clock. It also explores the benefits of having an optical clock in a time scale, by comparing with the current UTC(NIST) performance and the time scale with a continuously-operated Cs fountain.