Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
May 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dda....40.1803s&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DDA meeting #40, #18.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 41, p.912
Mathematics
Logic
Scientific paper
The question of redefining the UTC Time Scale has been under consideration by the ITU-R Study Group 7A since 1999. The current definition requires that UTC -UT1 agree within 0.9 second and that this be accomplished by the introduction of leap seconds. The proposed change would eliminate the leap seconds.
The DDA gave a report to the AAS Council on 3 January 2006 urging that "no action be taken” to allow time to evaluate the technical merit and potential impact of the change. An IAU Report of August 2006 said there is no strong consensus at the IAU for, or against, the change. The AAS leap second committee report of 12 December 2007 indicated that the concerns of the astronomical community are sociological rather that technical. There was virtually no response to an item in the AAS Newsletter in 2008 asking for comments on the proposed change. Hence, the conclusion is drawn that the astronomical community does not have an opinion concerning the change.
The US has no official position concerning the recommendation. NASA favors the change, if given 5 years advanced notice. DoD is developing a position. NSF has no position. The State Department has not taken an official position on the issue.
At the ITU-R Study Group 7A meeting in October 2008 the recommendation for the change to eliminate leap seconds was considered. A report on the considerations gives a history of the process without a discussion of the pros or cons for the recommendation. The United Kingdom and China objected to the recommended change. Two objections are sufficient to stop the recommended change at that meeting, but the recommendation can be brought up again at the next meeting.
The BIPM is pressing for the change, and now they may seek to avoid the ITU-R somehow.
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