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A change in the approach to time measurement promises to simplify global coordination.
A leading expert in the field of time measurement has proposed a new approach to the problem of leap seconds: replace them with leap minutes, possibly added once every half century. Judah Levine, head of the network synchronization project in the Time and Frequency Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), said in an interview with The New York Times that leap seconds, when atomic time stops for one second to synchronize with the irregular movement of the Earth, are a serious problem, especially for computer technology.
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (IBWM) has decided to eliminate leap seconds by 2035, assuming their complete elimination or modification of the current system. In the context of these changes, NIST's Judah Levine is preparing a report on the leap minute concept that will be aligned with the upcoming International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radio Communications Conference. This important conference, scheduled for November 20 in Dubai, will bring together the world's leading radio and communications experts to discuss new measures and standards. According to the Times, the presentation of Levin's report is expected after the conference, and this may be a key point for further discussions.
The "leap minute" proposal assumes that coordinated universal time (UTC) will remain tied to an ideal atomic clock in terms of accuracy, and then the time will be periodically adjusted to match the more variable movement of the Earth. Instead of adjusting for each 0.9-second time shift, world timekeepers will aim for a one-minute adjustment.
The handling of leap seconds, especially in the networked world, often caused organizational problems. Leap seconds in 2012 and 2017 led to crashes and problems at the beginning of the New Year. Implementing leap seconds in different time zones and servers required complex schemes, such as "smearing" the leap second for about 17 hours. These efforts and risks have led many companies to advocate for stopping their use.
However, Russia opposed the abolition of leap seconds, as it wanted to wait until 2040. The Russian satellite positioning system, GLONASS, was created with leap seconds in mind, and its reworking is likely to be difficult. The Times describes Russia's position as "active but mysterious," and quotes the head of NIST's Time and Frequency Division as saying that "no one fully understands" their objections.
Also, the Vatican, which has been interested in astronomy since the creation of the Gregorian Calendar, may oppose the elimination of leap seconds. Father Pavel Gabor, an astrophysicist and deputy director of the Vatican Observatory research group in Tucson, Arizona, has spoken out against the deepening gap between human and planetary time. In his 2017 book, The Science of Time, Gabor wrote that accurately measuring time is "one of astronomy's oldest missions."
Levin expressed the opinion that the world conference is unlikely to decide on a leap year or even a simple rejection of the leap second, but new methods can be determined at "other conferences that do not require full consensus."
A leading expert in the field of time measurement has proposed a new approach to the problem of leap seconds: replace them with leap minutes, possibly added once every half century. Judah Levine, head of the network synchronization project in the Time and Frequency Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), said in an interview with The New York Times that leap seconds, when atomic time stops for one second to synchronize with the irregular movement of the Earth, are a serious problem, especially for computer technology.
The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (IBWM) has decided to eliminate leap seconds by 2035, assuming their complete elimination or modification of the current system. In the context of these changes, NIST's Judah Levine is preparing a report on the leap minute concept that will be aligned with the upcoming International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radio Communications Conference. This important conference, scheduled for November 20 in Dubai, will bring together the world's leading radio and communications experts to discuss new measures and standards. According to the Times, the presentation of Levin's report is expected after the conference, and this may be a key point for further discussions.
The "leap minute" proposal assumes that coordinated universal time (UTC) will remain tied to an ideal atomic clock in terms of accuracy, and then the time will be periodically adjusted to match the more variable movement of the Earth. Instead of adjusting for each 0.9-second time shift, world timekeepers will aim for a one-minute adjustment.
The handling of leap seconds, especially in the networked world, often caused organizational problems. Leap seconds in 2012 and 2017 led to crashes and problems at the beginning of the New Year. Implementing leap seconds in different time zones and servers required complex schemes, such as "smearing" the leap second for about 17 hours. These efforts and risks have led many companies to advocate for stopping their use.
However, Russia opposed the abolition of leap seconds, as it wanted to wait until 2040. The Russian satellite positioning system, GLONASS, was created with leap seconds in mind, and its reworking is likely to be difficult. The Times describes Russia's position as "active but mysterious," and quotes the head of NIST's Time and Frequency Division as saying that "no one fully understands" their objections.
Also, the Vatican, which has been interested in astronomy since the creation of the Gregorian Calendar, may oppose the elimination of leap seconds. Father Pavel Gabor, an astrophysicist and deputy director of the Vatican Observatory research group in Tucson, Arizona, has spoken out against the deepening gap between human and planetary time. In his 2017 book, The Science of Time, Gabor wrote that accurately measuring time is "one of astronomy's oldest missions."
Levin expressed the opinion that the world conference is unlikely to decide on a leap year or even a simple rejection of the leap second, but new methods can be determined at "other conferences that do not require full consensus."