Articles liés à Splitting the Second: The Story of Atomic Time

Splitting the Second: The Story of Atomic Time - Couverture souple

Jones, Tony

 
9780750306409: Splitting the Second: The Story of Atomic Time
Couverture souple
ISBN 10 : 0750306408 ISBN 13 : 9780750306409
Editeur : Institute of Physics Publishing, 2000

Synopsis

Until the 1950s timekeeping was based on the apparent motion of the Sun that in turn reflected the rotation of the Earth on its axis. But the Earth does not turn smoothly. By the 1940s it was clear that the length of the day fluctuated unpredictably and with it the length of the second. Astronomers wanted to redefine the second in terms of the motions of the Moon and the planets. Physicists wanted to dispense with astronomical time altogether and define the second in terms of the fundamental properties of atoms.

The physicists won. The revolution began in June 1955 with the operation of the first successful atomic clock and was complete by October 1967 when the atomic second ousted the astronomical second as the international unit of time.

Splitting the Second: The Story of Atomic Time presents the story of this revolution, explaining how atomic clocks work, how more than 200 of them are used to form the world's time, and why we need leap seconds. The book illustrates how accurate time is distributed around the world and what it is used for. It concludes with a look at the future of timekeeping.

Les informations fournies dans la section « Synopsis » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Présentation de l'éditeur

Until the 1950s timekeeping was based on the apparent motion of the Sun that in turn reflected the rotation of the Earth on its axis. But the Earth does not turn smoothly. By the 1940s it was clear that the length of the day fluctuated unpredictably and with it the length of the second. Astronomers wanted to redefine the second in terms of the motions of the Moon and the planets. Physicists wanted to dispense with astronomical time altogether and define the second in terms of the fundamental properties of atoms.

The physicists won. The revolution began in June 1955 with the operation of the first successful atomic clock and was complete by October 1967 when the atomic second ousted the astronomical second as the international unit of time.

Splitting the Second: The Story of Atomic Time presents the story of this revolution, explaining how atomic clocks work, how more than 200 of them are used to form the world's time, and why we need leap seconds. The book illustrates how accurate time is distributed around the world and what it is used for. It concludes with a look at the future of timekeeping.

Les informations fournies dans la section « A propos du livre » peuvent faire référence à une autre édition de ce titre.

Éditeur
Institute of Physics Publishing
Date d'édition
2000
Langue
anglais
ISBN 10 
0750306408
ISBN 13 
9780750306409
Reliure
Broché
Nombre de pages
199
Coordonnées du fabricant
non disponible
Personne responsable
non disponible