Re: [LEAPSECS] Draft Questionnaire

From: Ed Davies <ls_at_edavies.nildram.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 2003 13:14:05 +0000

matsakis.demetrios_at_USNO.NAVY.MIL wrote:
> .... if UTC is redefined
> so that there are no new leap seconds after N years...

I think that the quoted fragment implies, assuming no other
unmentioned changes, that it is proposed that after N years:

1. All UTC days will be exactly 86'400 SI seconds in length.

2. UTC will then be a fixed number of seconds offset from TAI.

3. Similarly, GPS time will then be a fixed number of seconds
    offset from UTC.

4. Civil times around the world will continue to be an exact
    number of hours (multiples of 3'600 SI seconds) (or, in a
    few cases, half hours) offset from UTC.

5. Civil times will gradually drift away from their associated
    local mean times.

6. Eventually civil times will presumably need to be corrected
    to be closer to local mean time, presumably by changing their
    offsets from UTC in, one would think, one hour steps much
    like changes between daylight saving and standard time. In
    fact, in parts of the world where daylight saving is
    implemented this can be done by just omitting one change
    for one year.

7. Astronomers and navigators will have to be really careful
    about the difference between UTC and UT1 as the difference
    will soon be significant.

Have I understood you correctly or is there another
interpretation?

I think it's worth being really clear what is being discussed
here.
Received on Sat Jan 18 2003 - 05:14:52 PST