[LEAPSECS] LEAPSECS Digest, Vol 48, Issue 42

[Finkleman, Dave]

Our AIAA paper and subsequent publications recommended that the matter
be addressed jointly by ITU-R and ISO, perhaps through the Joint
Coordinating Group for Metrology (JCGM) chaired by BIPM.   We cited many
of the arguments pro and con with accessible references and addressed
each with accessible references.  I believe that this was a scholarly
work supported by analysis and references, free of emotion or
tendencies, and with conclusions supported by analysis and data.  

 

We summarized these in a position paper submitted for record during the
October WG7 meeting.  We made two points, which have appeared
independently from several participants in the present group: that the
consequences of change were undetermined and that the name of the
modified time scale should not be UTC.  (I have ISO TC37, Terminology,
working on this.)  We did not ask that the US WG7 position be changed.
Rather, we requested that dissension be acknowledged and that these two
issues be considered.  Since the deliberative documents are not
accessible, we do not know how our input was considered.   We
consistently opined that whether the leap second were retained or not,
normative guidance and well considered procedures were required.  Yes, I
am a zealot not to deprecate the leap second, but, as Poul-Henning
states, not in its current (deficient) implementation.  

 

With this preamble, I suggest that my colleagues and I request that we
(perhaps ISO) and WG7 collaboratively attempt to assess impacts so that
the proposal can advance without contention.  I must agree that the
proposal only has a "by" time scale but is silent on how the change
would be accomplished.  (Incidentally the time frame cited is a year
shorter than the US DoD requested, probably because a year had elapsed
before WG7 acted definitively!)   

 

Some of this email repeats past discussions, but they bear repetition.
I think I have a feasible approach to collaboration, but feasibility is
in the hands of the observer.

 

Dave Finkleman

Senior Scientist

Center for Space Standards and Innovation

Analytical Graphics, Inc.

7150 Campus Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80920

 

Phone:  719-510-8282 or 719-321-4780

Fax:  719-573-9079

 

Discover CSSI data downloads, technical webinars, publications, and
outreach events at www.CenterForSpace.com.

Our AIAA paper recommended that the matter be addressed jointly by
ITU-R, ISO, and other organizations, for example by JTCG-1,

 

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