Is the Atomic Second too short?

Shaanxi Observatory and National Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lintong 710600, China

Received: 8 January 2001
Accepted: 21 February 2001

Abstract

The definition of the length of the Atomic Second is based on measurements of the Earth's rotation made during the past 300 years. It has become too short because of the long-term deceleration of the Earth's rotation, making it necessary to add more and more leap seconds to UTC. By defining a longer Atomic Second and enlarging the limit of UTC from UT1, we would not need any leap second in the next dozens of years.