F-ckin Leap Seconds, how do they work?

Tony Finch dot at dotat.at
Tue Jul 3 22:33:22 UTC 2012


Keith Medcalf <kmedcalf at dessus.com> wrote:
>
> You are assuming facts not in evidence.  The rotation is merely
> irregular within the capabilities of our scheme of measurement,
> calculation, and observation.

There is LOTS of evidence that the earth's rotation is irregular. VLBI,
laser ranging of the moon, etc. This was known long before the atomic
clock was invented, and it is why the definition of the second was changed
from one based on earth rotation to one based on Newcomb's ephemerides,
before the change to an atomic second.

Tony.
-- 
f.anthony.n.finch  <dot at dotat.at>  http://dotat.at/
Hebrides, Bailey: East backing northeast 5 or 6, decreasing 4 later in
Hebrides. Rough in Bailey at first, otherwise moderate. Rain at times, fog
patches. Moderate, occasionally very poor.




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