[LEAPSECS] Nit-pick: SI second

Poul-Henning Kamp phk at phk.freebsd.dk
Thu Feb 10 02:23:49 EST 2011


In message <1297295931.7518.8.camel at localhost>, Paul Sheer writes:


>Since the velocity of the atomic clock causes relativistic dilation,

>surely it is not the altitude-above-sea-level, but the radial distance

>from the earths axis that we are talking about???


No, the velocity factor (special relativity) is far too small to
be relevant (remember: the square of light-speed is a HUUGE number).

It is the gravity potential of general relativity that is in play
here.

You can try to do the math on Toms road-trip data if you don't
trust me.

--
Poul-Henning Kamp | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
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