Sundial to the Atomic Clock

Resonance

article

Subhadeep De¹ 

[1] Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics

关键词: Time;    timekeeping;    atomic clocks;    optical clocks;    cesium fountain clocks;    accuracy;    horology.;   

DOI  :  10.1007/s12045-022-1390-6

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

The clock---one of the earliest inventions in modern science---has evolved from sundials to atom-based systems over the last several centuries. Over its long evolution, timekeeping requisites have shifted! Today, it is not just limited to organizing rituals promptly but has unavoidable applications in the most advanced, sophisticated technologies and exploring fundamental science in the present day. Thus humanity never lost interest in building further accurate clocks over the last 700 years. To explain the best accuracy of the state-of-the-art optical atomic clock in simple words: Supposedly, it has been running uninterruptedly over the last 35 billion years, then it misses just a single second. Due to the immense importance of highly accurate timekeeping, the miss of a single second cannot be tolerated. Hence, humanity is not yet satisfied with the best of present atomic clocks' unprecedented accuracy and is still exploring betterment. This article shall give a brief history of the evolution of clocks---from the sundial to the atomic clock---timekeeping and international standardization of second, and describe the operation of microwave and optical atomic clocks.

【 授权许可】

Others