Atomic clocks for geodesy

authored by: Tanja E. Mehlstäubler, Gesine Grosche, Christian Lisdat, Piet Oliver Schmidt, Heiner Denker
Abstract: We review experimental progress on optical atomic clocks and frequency transfer, and consider the prospects of using these technologies for geodetic measurements. Today, optical atomic frequency standards have reached relative frequency inaccuracies below 10^-17, opening new fields of fundamental and applied research. The dependence of atomic frequencies on the gravitational potential makes atomic clocks ideal candidates for the search for deviations in the predictions of Einstein's general relativity, tests of modern unifying theories and the development of new gravity field sensors. In this review, we introduce the concepts of optical atomic clocks and present the status of international clock development and comparison. Besides further improvement in stability and accuracy of today's best clocks, a large effort is put into increasing the reliability and technological readiness for applications outside of specialized laboratories with compact, portable devices. With relative frequency uncertainties of 10^-18, comparisons of optical frequency standards are foreseen to contribute together with satellite and terrestrial data to the precise determination of fundamental height reference systems in geodesy with a resolution at the cm-level. The long-term stability of atomic standards will deliver excellent long-term height references for geodetic measurements and for the modelling and understanding of our Earth.
Organisation(s): Institute of Quantum Optics
Institute of Geodesy
CRC 1227 Designed Quantum States of Matter (DQ-mat)
External Organisation(s): National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB)
Type: Article
Journal: Reports on Progress in Physics
Volume: 81
ISSN: 0034-4885
Publication date: 06.2018
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Physics and Astronomy(all)
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1803.01585 (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6633/aab409 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{b88d0d47420c4064aba5458d8e87ce0e,
title = "Atomic clocks for geodesy",
abstract = "We review experimental progress on optical atomic clocks and frequency transfer, and consider the prospects of using these technologies for geodetic measurements. Today, optical atomic frequency standards have reached relative frequency inaccuracies below 10-17, opening new fields of fundamental and applied research. The dependence of atomic frequencies on the gravitational potential makes atomic clocks ideal candidates for the search for deviations in the predictions of Einstein's general relativity, tests of modern unifying theories and the development of new gravity field sensors. In this review, we introduce the concepts of optical atomic clocks and present the status of international clock development and comparison. Besides further improvement in stability and accuracy of today's best clocks, a large effort is put into increasing the reliability and technological readiness for applications outside of specialized laboratories with compact, portable devices. With relative frequency uncertainties of 10-18, comparisons of optical frequency standards are foreseen to contribute together with satellite and terrestrial data to the precise determination of fundamental height reference systems in geodesy with a resolution at the cm-level. The long-term stability of atomic standards will deliver excellent long-term height references for geodetic measurements and for the modelling and understanding of our Earth.",
keywords = "atomic clocks, chronometric leveling, geoid mapping, gravity field modelling, optical clocks, optical frequency transfer",
author = "Mehlst{\"a}ubler, {Tanja E.} and Gesine Grosche and Christian Lisdat and Schmidt, {Piet Oliver} and Heiner Denker",
note = "Funding information: The authors would like to thank Ludger Timmen for valuable input to this work, Jonas Keller and Thomas Waterholter for reading of this manuscript and helpful comments, Thomas Water-holter, Erik Benkler, Nimrod Hausser and Katharina Dudde for assistance with preparing the manuscript. Support has been received from the projects EMPIR 15SIB03 OC18 and EMPIR 15SIB05 OFTEN. These projects have received funding from the EMPIR programme co-financed by the Participating States and from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. We acknowledge support by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through grant ME 3648/1-1 and ME 3648/3-1, and within CRC 1128 geo-Q (projects A03, A04, C04), CRC 1227 DQ-mat (projects B02, B03), RTG 1729, and the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD).",
year = "2018",
month = jun,
doi = "10.48550/arXiv.1803.01585",
language = "English",
volume = "81",
journal = "Reports on Progress in Physics",
issn = "0034-4885",
publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",
number = "6",
}