A new atomic clock in space could help us measure elevations on Earth
1 min read
Summary
A new atomic clock could help improve measurements of elevation on Earth as it will enable scientists to create a more precise model of the planet’s gravitational field.
The Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES), which consists of two connected atomic clocks, was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA).
While one of the clocks contains cesium atoms, the other contains hydrogen atoms.
When combined, the clocks provide a single set of ticks that are more accurate than either one alone.
Being deployed in space, far away from the influence of large gravitational bodies that influence time, ACES will not gain or lose a second in 300 million years, according to ESA physicist Luigi Cacciapuoti.
This contrasts with today’s GPS satellites, which lose or gain a second every 3,000 years on average, and pendulum clocks, which are accurate to within a second every day.