# 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.

## Key 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.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1704.06323