Network Time and Infrastructure

January 02, 2014 by Harlan Stenn

On Sunday, 5 January 2014 there will be an open (no registration required) “splinter meeting” to be held at the 223rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society at the Gaylord National Resort near Washington, DC, and Network Time Foundation’s founder, Harlan Stenn, will have a 30-minute presentation on Network Time and Infrastructure in the afternoon session. If you are in the area and have an interest in the subject, please attend!

The Future of Time
Sunday, 5 January 2014
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
National Harbor 6 (note room change)

Time is a very broad subject and contacts are being made among distant corners of the AAS community, including history and E/PO, observatory operations, software and systems, and in various fields of research.

The topic is a proposal being vigorously pursued within the International Telecommunication Union, an agency of the United Nations, that would redefine Coordinated Universal Time (the time on your alarm clock, wristwatch, computer and smartphone) to no longer be tied to the rotation of the Earth.

We will discuss the historical context for this unprecedented proposal, as well as its significant implications for the practice of astronomy.

To maximize flexibility for attendees, the Future of Time agenda is split into two 2 hour sessions (below). Your participation will be welcome at either or both sessions.

Rob Seaman, NOAO
Ken Seidelmann, U. Virginia
Arnold Rots, SAO
Alison Peck, NRAO

Session 1 - The Future of Time I - historical context (1:00 pm):

  • Introduction

  • A (brief) history of time in astronomy (K. Seidelmann, UVA)

  • Time scales and concepts (A. Rots, SAO)

  • Time and Navigation: The Untold Story of Getting From Here to There (A. Johnston, NASM)

  • Time and the Earth: Long term trends (for F. R. Stephenson, Durham University)

Session 2 - The Future of Time II - operational timekeeping issues (3:00 pm):

  • The Name of Time: terminology requirements for UTC (Kara Warburton, Chair, ISO TC 37)

  • Performing a UTC software inventory (R. Seaman, NOAO)

  • Software and astronomical system engineering for time (TBA)

  • Network time and infrastructure (Harlan Stenn, Network Time Foundation)

  • Discussion: Operational implications for observatories (A. Peck, ALMA)

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