Time - strategic overview

BIPM work programme - Time Metrology

To calculate, disseminate and improve the world reference time scale through the integration of data from atomic clocks at the NMIs (including tests and inclusion of new type of standards and their comparison at long distance).
To investigate the scope for a 100-fold improvement in frequency accuracy through a future redefinition of the second and of time-keeping based on optical clocks.
To promote the importance and benefits to the international telecommunications, astronomy and earth science communities of:
- UTC,
- frequency measurements traceable to the SI and
- common space-time references.