DUT1

Graph showing the difference in seconds between UT1 and UTC over time. A vertical transition indicates the use of a leap second. The red portion of the graph indicates predicted values.

DUT1 is a time correction equal to the difference between Universal Time (UT1), which is defined by Earth's rotation, and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is defined by a network of precision atomic clocks, with a precision of +/- 0.1s^[1]^[2].

DUT1 = UT1 − UTC (with a precision of +/- 0.1s)

UTC is maintained via leap seconds, such that DUT1 remains within the range −0.9 s < DUT1 < +0.9 s. The reason for this correction is partly that the rate of rotation of the Earth is not constant, due to tidal braking and the redistribution of mass within the Earth, including its oceans and atmosphere, and partly because the SI second (as now used for UTC) was, when adopted, a little shorter than the current value of the second of mean solar time.^[a]

Daily observed values of UT1 - UTC for the past week, and daily forecast values for the coming year, are published by IERS Bulletin A, with more digits than for DUT1. Final values are published in the monthly IERS Bulletin B. DUT1 forecasts are published in IERS Bulletin D.

Several time signal services broadcast values of DUT1. CHU (Canada), HLA (South Korea), MSF (United Kingdom), and WWV (United States) transmit DUT1 with 0.1 s precision. In Russia, RWM, RTZ and the longwave RBU transmit DUT1 with 0.1 s precision and an additional correction dUT1 in 0.02 s increments.^[3]

Notes

^ (1) In "The Physical Basis of the Leap Second", by D D McCarthy, C Hackman and R A Nelson, in Astronomical Journal, vol.136 (2008), pages 1906–1908, it is stated (page 1908), that "the SI second is equivalent to an older measure of the second of UT1, which was too small to start with and further, as the duration of the UT1 second increases, the discrepancy widens." :(2) In the late 1950s, the cesium standard was used to measure both the current mean length of the second of mean solar time (UT2) (result: 9192631830 cycles) and also the second of ephemeris time (ET) (result: 9192631770±20 cycles), see "Time Scales", by L. Essen, in Metrologia, vol.4 (1968), pp.161–165, on p.162. As is well known, the 9192631770 figure was chosen for the SI second. L Essen in the same 1968 article (p.162) stated that this "seemed reasonable in view of the variations in UT2".

References

^ "Bulletin D - Product metadata". IERS. 1996-07-17. Archived from the original on 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
^ "Leap second and UT1-UTC information". NIST. 2024-11-15. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
^ "Time Signal Transmitter". www.meinbergglobal.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.

ITU-R Recommendation TF.460-4: Standard-frequency and time-signal emissions. International Telecommunication Union.

External links

IERS Bulletins, including Bulletin A – latest and past versions, and graphical plots
Latest version of Bulletin A
IERS Rapid Service/Prediction Center via the US Naval Observatory (Archived version available for non-US readers)
http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/Time.html

[3] (1) In "The Physical Basis of the Leap Second", by D D McCarthy, C Hackman and R A Nelson, in Astronomical Journal, vol.136 (2008), pages 1906–1908, it is stated (page 1908), that "the SI second is equivalent to an older measure of the second of UT1, which was too small to start with and further, as the duration of the UT1 second increases, the discrepancy widens." :(2) In the late 1950s, the cesium standard was used to measure both the current mean length of the second of mean solar time (UT2) (result: 9192631830 cycles) and also the second of ephemeris time (ET) (result: 9192631770±20 cycles), see "Time Scales", by L. Essen, in Metrologia, vol.4 (1968), pp.161–165, on p.162. As is well known, the 9192631770 figure was chosen for the SI second. L Essen in the same 1968 article (p.162) stated that this "seemed reasonable in view of the variations in UT2".

[1] "Bulletin D - Product metadata". IERS. 1996-07-17. Archived from the original on 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2024-11-26.

[2] "Leap second and UT1-UTC information". NIST. 2024-11-15. Archived from the original on 2024-09-30. Retrieved 2024-11-26.

[4] "Time Signal Transmitter". www.meinbergglobal.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.

[1]

[2]

[a]

[3]

v t e Time measurement and standards
Chronometry Orders of magnitude Metrology
International standards	Coordinated Universal Time offset UT ΔT DUT1 International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service ISO 31-1 ISO 8601 International Atomic Time 12-hour clock 24-hour clock Barycentric Coordinate Time Barycentric Dynamical Time Civil time Daylight saving time Geocentric Coordinate Time International Date Line IERS Reference Meridian Leap second Solar time Terrestrial Time Time zone 180th meridian
Obsolete standards	Ephemeris time Greenwich Mean Time Prime meridian
Time in physics	Absolute space and time Spacetime Chronon Continuous signal Coordinate time Cosmological decade Discrete time and continuous time Proper time Theory of relativity Time dilation Gravitational time dilation Time domain Time-translation symmetry T-symmetry
Horology	Clock Astrarium Atomic clock Complication History of timekeeping devices Hourglass Marine chronometer Marine sandglass Radio clock Watch stopwatch Water clock Sundial Dialing scales Equation of time History of sundials Sundial markup schema
Calendar	Gregorian Hebrew Hindu Holocene Islamic (lunar Hijri) Julian Solar Hijri Astronomical Dominical letter Epact Equinox Intercalation Julian day Leap year Lunar Lunisolar Solar Solstice Tropical year Weekday determination Weekday names
Archaeology and geology	Chronological dating Geologic time scale International Commission on Stratigraphy
Astronomical chronology	Galactic year Nuclear timescale Precession Sidereal time
Other units of time	Instant Flick Shake Jiffy Second Minute Moment Hour Day Week Fortnight Month Year Olympiad Lustrum Decade Century Saeculum Millennium
Related topics	Chronology Duration music Mental chronometry Decimal time Metric time System time Time metrology Time value of money Timekeeper

See also

Notes

References

External links