[time-nuts] UTC and leap seconds

iovane at inwind.it iovane at inwind.it
Fri Jun 11 11:33:24 UTC 2010


>>iovane at inwind.it
>>writes:
>> >
>> >I was wondering, why we assume that  Earth's rotation is slowing 
>> down, instead
>> >that clocks are speeding up?
>>
>>Because we can measure it relative to the position of very distant
>>quasars.
>
>I assume you mean use a clock to measure the earth's rotation, using 
>quasars as a positional reference. That's circular logic.
>
>One answer to the question is that earth clocks agree closely with 
>external time sources, like pulsars, and that we can explain why the 
>earth slows (tidal forces, etc.), but there is no theoretical basis to 
>explain how cesium atoms would vibrate (yes, that's oversimplified) 
>faster and faster. 

There was a hidden question underlying my basic one, and it is: does the 
matter age?

Antonio I8IOV




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