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This could be important, Mike

John Flaherty wrote:

> Mikke:
>
> I am forward another copy of the letter from USNO which explains
> the proposed changes in UTC. There will be no effect on LST since,
> in practice, UTC is derived from sidereal time. As you knowl, earth
> rotation speed is gradually slowing. Currently this deceleration is
> compensated for by adding so called "leap seconds" to UTC from
> time to time to keep it in in sync witrh mean solar time. Thus UTC
> can be used for celestial navigation and you can go to lunch sometime
> near the sun's transit of the local meridian.
> Sorry to learn you had a recent hospital stay.. Hope it was nolthing too
> serious and that you are on the way back to a hale and hearty condition.
> Hlapopy Thanksgiving, John.
>
> ***************************************************************
> John Flaherty-409 Oakhill Terrace, Lompoc CA 93436
> Tel-805 733 2211 Fax 805 733 336
> Let's hear it for Mozart and Quantum Mechanics
> **************************************************************
> -----Original Message-----
> Date: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 4:38 PM
> Subject: UTC Questionnaire
>
> >Dear Colleague,
> >
> >It has been proposed to change the definition of Coordinated Universal
> >Time (UTC) regarding the insertion of leap-seconds, possibly even
> >eliminating their use. Leap seconds are introduced so as to keep UTC
> >synchronized (within 0.9 s) to the time scale determined from the
> >Earth's rotation.
> >
> >Should no new leap seconds be inserted, solar time will diverge from
> >atomic time at the rate of about 2 seconds every 3 years, and after
> >about a century |UT1-UTC| would exceed 1 minute. Although no
> >fundamental problems are anticipated, it is very likely that Y2K-like
> >problems may result in software that assumes UT1=UTC, or |UT1-UTC|< some
> >value, or whose input/output records use a field size that can only
> >accommodate |UT1-UTC| values up to one second.
> >
> >To gather information, an URSI Commission J Working Group was formed,
> >consisting of Don Backer, Wim. N. Brouw, Barry Clark, Irwin Shapiro,
> >Ir. E. Van Lil, and myself.
> >
> >We would like to ask you to consult with the members of your institute
> >who currently deal with UT1-UTC, and give us a considered response to
> >the following two questions:
> >
> >A. If the appropriate international bodies decide to eliminate the
> >insertion of new leap seconds, would you foresee any practical problems
> >for your institution/instrument/observations?
> >
> > yes ___
> >
> > * no ____
> >
> > * possibly ____
> >
> > (* please explain any known or possible problems)
> >
> >B. Would you be in favor of such a proposal?
> >
> > yes ____
> >
> > no ____
> >
> > indifferent ___
> >
> > have better idea ___
> >
> > (feel free to comment)
> >
> >C. Is there anyone else you would recommend we contact?
> > (feel free to forward this eamil directly)
> >
> >I would appreciate your assistance, and a response by January 15 to
> >
> >I am attaching a list of institutions and persons contacted, except
> >for 931 institutions whose emails were obtained from the AAS. I would
> >like to apologize to anyone contacted twice, but also appreciate it if
> >you would forward this email to anyone we have missed. Also, if you
> >are an URSI Commission J national chair, we would appreciate your
> >forwarding this email to your complete membership and in particular to
> >the directors of observatories.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >
> >Demetrios Matsakis
> >________________________________________________________________________
> >Dr. Demetrios N. Matsakis Director, Time Service Department
> >(202) 762-1587 DSN 762-1587 U. S. Naval Observatory
> >FAX (202) 762-1511 3450 Massachusetts Avenue NW
> >________________________________________________________________________
> >

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Mikke:

I am forward another copy of the letter from USNO which explains
the proposed changes in UTC. There will be no effect on LST since,
in practice, UTC is derived from sidereal time. As you knowl, earth
rotation speed is gradually slowing. Currently this deceleration is
compensated for by adding so called "leap seconds" to UTC from
time to time to keep it in in sync witrh mean solar time. Thus UTC
can be used for celestial navigation and you can go to lunch sometime
near the sun's transit of the local meridian.
Sorry to learn you had a recent hospital stay.. Hope it was nolthing too
serious and that you are on the way back to a hale and hearty condition.
Hlapopy Thanksgiving, John.

***************************************************************
John Flaherty-409 Oakhill Terrace, Lompoc CA 93436
Tel-805 733 2211 Fax 805 733 336
Let's hear it for Mozart and Quantum Mechanics
**************************************************************
-----Original Message-----
Date: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 4:38 PM
Subject: UTC Questionnaire


>Dear Colleague,
>
>It has been proposed to change the definition of Coordinated Universal
>Time (UTC) regarding the insertion of leap-seconds, possibly even
>eliminating their use. Leap seconds are introduced so as to keep UTC
>synchronized (within 0.9 s) to the time scale determined from the
>Earth's rotation.
>
>Should no new leap seconds be inserted, solar time will diverge from
>atomic time at the rate of about 2 seconds every 3 years, and after
>about a century |UT1-UTC| would exceed 1 minute. Although no
>fundamental problems are anticipated, it is very likely that Y2K-like
>problems may result in software that assumes UT1=UTC, or |UT1-UTC|< some
>value, or whose input/output records use a field size that can only
>accommodate |UT1-UTC| values up to one second.
>
>To gather information, an URSI Commission J Working Group was formed,
>consisting of Don Backer, Wim. N. Brouw, Barry Clark, Irwin Shapiro,
>Ir. E. Van Lil, and myself.
>
>We would like to ask you to consult with the members of your institute
>who currently deal with UT1-UTC, and give us a considered response to
>the following two questions:
>
>A. If the appropriate international bodies decide to eliminate the
>insertion of new leap seconds, would you foresee any practical problems
>for your institution/instrument/observations?
>
> yes ___
>
> * no ____
>
> * possibly ____
>
> (* please explain any known or possible problems)
>
>B. Would you be in favor of such a proposal?
>
> yes ____
>
> no ____
>
> indifferent ___
>
> have better idea ___
>
> (feel free to comment)
>
>C. Is there anyone else you would recommend we contact?
> (feel free to forward this eamil directly)
>
>I would appreciate your assistance, and a response by January 15 to
>
>I am attaching a list of institutions and persons contacted, except
>for 931 institutions whose emails were obtained from the AAS. I would
>like to apologize to anyone contacted twice, but also appreciate it if
>you would forward this email to anyone we have missed. Also, if you
>are an URSI Commission J national chair, we would appreciate your
>forwarding this email to your complete membership and in particular to
>the directors of observatories.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Demetrios Matsakis
>________________________________________________________________________
>Dr. Demetrios N. Matsakis Director, Time Service Department
>(202) 762-1587 DSN 762-1587 U. S. Naval Observatory
>FAX (202) 762-1511 3450 Massachusetts Avenue NW
>________________________________________________________________________
>


--------------8C3AF1448EBBECB73C078D43--

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