The U.S. navigation and communication equipment manufacturer Vector Atomic has developed an ultra-precise and rugged new atomic clock. In the latest issue of "Nature" magazine, the development team reported on the development and sea trials of the atomic clock, whose performance rivals the best commercial atomic clocks but with a much smaller form factor.
Schematic Diagram of Maritime Single Clock Performance
Image Source: "Nature" Magazine
As maritime instruments become increasingly complex, the technology behind them relies more and more on precise timing, such as in the case of radio positioning systems used for navigation. In these systems, even tiny timing errors in measuring signal propagation between satellites can lead to positioning errors of hundreds of meters. When used on naval vessels, this could have serious consequences.
Currently, atomic clocks used on ships, while stable and able to withstand the motion of the ship, are not as accurate as those used in research laboratories. Now, a research team has developed a clock that can bridge this accuracy gap.
This clock is based on oscillating iodine molecules, weighing only 26 kilograms, roughly equivalent to the size of three shoeboxes, making it suitable for use on almost any ship. The research team claims it is about 1,000 times more accurate than most clocks currently used on ships.
The development team tested the clock on a military vessel in the Pacific Ocean, using it for three weeks of normal navigation operations. Test data showed that the clock was nearly as accurate as in laboratory tests, with a daily timing error staying within 300 trillionths of a second.
This demonstration marks a significant technological advancement, possibly heralding the arrival of future optical timing networks. The development team notes that they are continuing their research, aiming to make the clock even smaller for potential deployment on navigation satellites.
