UTCr: a rapid realization of UTC

Abstract

Considering the evolving needs of time metrology and the convenience of allowing the contributing laboratories access to a realization UTC more frequently than through the monthly Circular T, the BIPM Time Department has started to implement the computation of UTCr, a rapid realization of UTC published every week and based on daily clock and time transfer data. Results of the first weeks of a pilot experimentation of this new product are presented. I.

Incorporating an Optical Clock Into a Time Scale

“…However, the mid-term performance (10 days to 50 days) is sacrificed. This is because the BIPM (International Bureau of Weights and Measures) does not publish the UTC in real-time [5]. Instead, there is a latency of about 30 days.…”

International atomic time: Status and future challenges

“…These reasons moved the BIPM to implement UTCr ("rapid" UTC) [4], a new realization of UTC available with a shorter delay than Circular T. After a phase of pilot experiment started in 2012, and with the approval of the CCTF, UTCr has become a regular product of the BIPM since July 2013. UTCr is a weekly solution based on daily data covering four consecutive weeks, reported daily by contributing laboratories.…”

The unit of time: Present and future directions

“…They are realized using hydrogen masers whose frequency is calibrated and steered with atomic fountains, and for the long term, with the time difference UTC(k)-UTC provided every month in Circular T. They typically deviate from UTC and from each others by no more than a few nanoseconds. It is worth noting another significant evolution in timekeeping, namely the rapid realization of UTC by the BIPM [58]. UTCr implements faster exchange of data than Circular T does between participating laboratories and the BIPM.…”