Experts in atomic clock development can measure time with an accuracy about 1,000 times greater than most clocks currently used on ships.
A team of physicists and engineers at Vector Atomic, a producer of positioning and communication equipment in the United States, has developed a new atomic clock that is said to be extremely accurate and robust, as reported by TechXplore on April 26th. In a study published in the journal Nature, they describe the components that make up the new clock and its operational effectiveness during practical tests on a ship in the Pacific Ocean.
Container housing the new atomic clock on the deck of HMNZS Aotearoa during a three-week sea trial. (Photo: Nature)
As the technology aboard ships becomes more sophisticated, the precision required from its underlying technology also increases. Navigation relies on radio systems using GPS or other positioning systems. With such systems, even a tiny error in timing when measuring the transmission of signals between satellites can lead to positioning inaccuracies of hundreds of meters. This can pose significant issues for military vessels.
Currently, ships equipped with atomic clocks are robust enough to function while the vessel is in motion, yet they are significantly less accurate compared to laboratory-grade atomic clocks. In this new study, the team at Vector Atomic has developed an advanced clock model that helps reduce this discrepancy.
The new clock operates using oscillating iodine molecules. It weighs only 26 kg and is about the size of three shoeboxes—small enough to be used on most vessels. The research team claims it is approximately 1,000 times more accurate than most clocks currently used on ships.
In their study, the experts collaborated with the Royal New Zealand Navy to test the clock aboard the HMNZS Aotearoa while the vessel conducted regular transport operations for 20 days in the Pacific. Data from the trial indicates that the clock is almost as accurate as when it operates in a laboratory setting. Specifically, it maintains an accumulated time error of about 300 picoseconds, or 300 trillionths of a second, each day.
The research team stated that they are continuing to develop the clock with hopes of making it small enough for use in navigation satellites.
