Incorporation of hydrogen masers into a free ensemble timescale aimed for optically steered UTC(k)

Le résumé fourni par la source

Abstract The combination of a single hydrogen maser and an intermittently operated optical clock can generate a highly accurate timescale, but it is difficult to address a sudden deterioration of the hydrogen maser. This issue can be resolved by the use of an ensemble. By estimating the frequency drift of multiple individual hydrogen masers, it is possible to incorporate them as the main contributors to an ensemble time scale that benefits from their long-term stability. Such a timescale is in operation at UTC(NICT) since August 2023. To determine the required adjustments for frequency offset and drift of the free-running timescale, we refer to a separate timescale generated from a hydrogen maser steered according to intermittent operation of an optical clock. In combination, this realizes a robust and accurate timescale.

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