[LEAPSECS] Epsilon proposal vs integer UTC-TAI

From: Ed Davies <ls_at_EDAVIES.NILDRAM.CO.UK>
Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 18:52:51 +0000

Mark Calabretta wrote:

> I note that, as yet, we have not heard a reasoned argument against my
> proposal for UTC to measure the true length of day in SI seconds.

Personally, I really like this proposal and wish that it had
been adopted instead of using leap seconds. The main advantages
seem to me to be that "odd" case is available for testing every
day and that the adjustment is tiny and can be ignored in even
more cases than leap seconds can be ignored. The only problem
I can see with it is the one Markus notes: time signals would
glitch when used as frequency standards over UTC midnight.

Also, admitting that days aren't 86'400 seconds long generalises
to other planetary bodies better than some of the bonkers ideas
around for Mars - the Red Mars example being mentioned earlier
in this discussion.

But, would it be practical to change now? For example, is it not
likely that there are many existing systems which assume UTC-TAI
is an integer?

If I read the GPS SPS Signal Specification correctly then GPS
can handle non-integer offsets but I bet a lot of other systems
can't.
Received on Thu Jan 30 2003 - 10:54:54 PST