1 

NIST TIME AND FREQUENCY BULLETIN 

NIST IR 6665-03 

No. 651 March 2012

 

1. GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ........................................................................................... 2 

 

2. TIME SCALE INFORMATION ............................................................................................................... 2 

 

3. BROADCAST OUTAGES OVER FIVE MINUTES AND WWVB 

 PHASE PERTURBATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 4 

4. NOTES ON NIST TIME SCALES AND PRIMARY STANDARDS ........................................................... 4 

5. UTC(NIST) – AT1 PARAMETERS ........................................................................................................... 5 

 

This bulletin is published monthly. Address correspondence to: 

 

Petrina C. Potts, Editor 

Time and Frequency Division 

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

325 Broadway 

Boulder, CO 8O3O5-3328 

(3O3) 497-3295 

Email: ppotts@boulder.nist.gov

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, JOHN BRYSON, Secretary

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, Patrick D. Gallagher, Director 

 
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1. GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS BULLETIN

ACTS - Automated Computer Time Service 

BIPM - Bureau International des Poids et Mesures 

CS - Cesium Standard 

GPS - Global Positioning System 

IERS - International Earth Rotation Service 

LORAN - Long Range Navigation 

MC - Master Clock 

MJD - Modified Julian Date 

NIST - National Institute of Standards and Technology 

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NVLAP - National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program ns - nanosecond 

SI - International System of Units μs - microsecond 

TA - Atomic Time ms - millisecond 

TAI - International Atomic Time s - second 

USNO - United States Naval Observatory min - minute 

UTC - Coordinated Universal Time 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

 2. TIME SCALE INFORMATION 

 The values listed below are based on data from the IERS, the USNO, and NIST. The UTC(USNO,MC) - UTC(NIST) values are 

averaged measurements from all available common-view GPS satellites (see bibliography on page 5). UTC - UTC(NIST) data are 

on page 3. 

 0000 HOURS COORDINATED UNIVERSAL TIME 

FEB 2012 MJD UT1-UTC(NIST) 

 (±5 ms) 

UTC(USNO,MC) - UTC(NIST) 

 (±20 ns) 

2 55959 -450 ms +1 ns 

9 55968 -455 ms +1 ns 

16 55973 -463 ms -2 ns 

23 55980 -469 ms -2 ns 

*Interpolated Value 

 The master clock pulses used by the WWV, WWVH, and WWVB time-code transmissions are referenced to the UTC(NIST) time 

scale. Occasionally, 1 s is added to the UTC time scale. This second is called a leap second. Its purpose is to keep the UTC time 

scale within ±0.9 s of the UT1 astronomical time scale, which changes slightly due to variations in the Earth’s period of rotation. 

 NOTE: A positive leap second will be added at the end of June 2012. 

 Positive leap seconds, beginning at 23 h 59 min 60 s UTC and ending at 0 h 0 min 0 s UTC, were inserted in the UTC time 

scale on 30 June 1972, 1981-1983, 1985, 1992-1994, and 1997, and on 31 December 1972-1979, 1987, 1989, 1990,1995, 1998, 

2005, and 2008. 

 The use of leap seconds ensures that UT1 - UTC will always be held within ±0.9 s. The current value of UT1 - UTC is called the 

DUT1 correction. DUT1 corrections are broadcast by WWV, WWVH, WWVB, and ACTS and are printed below. These corrections 

may be added to received UTC time signals in order to obtain UT1. 

DUT1 = UT1 - UTC = 

 - 0.5 s beginning 0000 UTC 9 February 2012 

 - 0.4 s beginning 0000 UTC 4 November 2011 

 - 0.3 s beginning 0000 UTC 12 May 2011 

 - 0.2 s beginning 0000 UTC 06 January 2011 

 - 0.1 s beginning 0000 UTC 03 June 2010 

 +0.0 s beginning 0000 UTC 11 March 2010 

 +0.1 s beginning 0000 UTC 12 November 2009 

 +0.2 s beginning 0000 UTC 11 June 2009 

 +0.3 s beginning 0000 UTC 12 March 2009 
DATE MJD UTC‐UTC(NIST) ns

Jan. 23, 2012 55949 1.4

Jan. 13, 2012 55939 2.7

Jan. 3 2012 55929 4.5

Dec 24, 2011 55919 5.8

Dec 14, 2011 55909 5.6

Dec 4, 2011 55899 5.0

Nov 24, 2011 55889 3.0

Nov. 14, 2011 55879 4.4

Nov. 4, 2011 55869 6.5

Oct. 25, 2011 55859 8.5

Oct. 15, 2011 55849 9.6

Oct. 5, 2011 55839 10.8

Sep. 25, 2011 55829 10.6

Sep. 15, 2011 55819 10.3

Sep. 5, 2011 55809 9.3

Aug. 26, 2011 55799 8.8

Aug. 16, 2011 55789 6.9

Aug. 6, 2011 55779 5.9

July 27, 2011 55769 4.1

July 17, 2011 55759 4.3

July 7, 2011 55749 2.9

June 27, 2011 55739 2.1

June 17, 2011 55729 3.4

June 7, 2011 55719 4.6

May 28,  2011 55709 4.8

May 18, 2011 55699 6.5

May 8, 2011 55689 7.9

Apr. 28, 2011 55679 8.6

Apr. 18, 2011 55669 10.3

Apr. 8, 2011 55659 12

0000 Hours Coordinated Universal Time

The difference between UTC(NIST) and UTC has been within ±100 ns since July 6, 1994. The table below shows values

of UTC ‐ UTC(NIST) as supplied by the BIPM in their Circular T publication for the most recent 310‐day period in which

data are available. Data are given at ten‐day intervals. Five‐day interval data are available in Circular T .

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 4 

 

3. BROADCAST OUTAGES OVER FIVE MINUTES AND WWVB PHASE PERTURBATIONS 

OUTAGES OF 5 MINUTES OR MORE PHASE PERTURBATIONS 

2 ms 

Station Jan 

2012 

 MJD Began 

UTC 

Ended 

UTC 

Freq. Jan 

2012 MJD Began 

 UTC 

End 

UTC 

WWVB 02-22-12 

02-23-12 

55979 

55980 

0712 

0026 

0809 

0107 

60kHz 

60kHz 

 

WWV 

WWVH 

4. NOTES ON NIST TIME SCALES AND PRIMARY STANDARDS 

 Primary frequency standards developed and operated by NIST are used to provide accuracy (rate) input to the BIPM. NIST-F1, a 

cold-atom cesium fountain frequency standard, has served as the U.S. primary standard of time and frequency since 1999. The 

uncertainty of NIST-F1 is currently about 3 parts in 1016. 

 The AT1 scale is run in real-time by use of data from an ensemble of cesium standards and hydrogen masers. It is a free-running 

scale whose frequency is maintained as nearly constant as possible by choosing the optimum weight for each clock that contributes 

to the computation. 

 UTC(NIST) is generated as an offset from our real-time scale AT1. It is steered in frequency towards UTC by use of data published 

by the BIPM in its Circular T. Changes in the steering frequency will be made, if necessary, at 0000 UTC on the first day of the 

month, and occasionally at mid-month. A change in frequency is limited to no more than ±2 ns/day. The frequency of UTC(NIST) is 

kept as stable as possible at other times. 

 UTC is generated at the BIPM by use of a post-processed time-scale algorithm and is not available in real-time. The parameters 

that we use to generate UTC(NIST) in real-time are therefore based on an extrapolation of UTC from the most recent available data. 

 

References: 

Allan, D.W.; Hellwig, H.; and Glaze, D.J., "An accuracy algorithm for an atomic time scale," Metrologia, Vol.11, No.3, pp. 133-138 

(1975). 

Allan, D.W.; Davis, D.D.; Weiss, M.A.; Clements, A.; Guinot, B.; Granveaud, M.; Dorenwendt, K.; Fischer, B.; Hetzel, P.; Aoki, S.; 

Fujimoto, M.; Charron, L.; and Ashby, N., “Accuracy of international time and frequency comparisons via global positioning system 

satellites in common-view,” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. IM-34, pp.118-125 (1985). 

Heavner, T.P.; Jefferts, S.R.; Donley; E.A.; Shirley, J.H. and Parker, T.E., “NIST F1; recent improvements and accuracy evaluations,” 

Metrologia, Vol. 42, pp. 411-422 (2005). 

Jefferts, S.R.; Shirley, J.; Parker, T.E.; Heavner, T.P.; Meekhof, D.M.; Nelson, C., Levi, F.; Costanza, G.; De Marchi, A.; Drullinger, 

R.; Hollberg, L.; Lee, W.D.; and Walls, F.L., “Accuracy evaluation of NIST-F1,” Metrologia, Vol. 39, pp. 321-336 (2002). 

Lewandowski, W. and Thomas, C., “GPS Time transfer,” Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 79, pp. 991-1000 (1991). 

Parker, T.E.; Jefferts, S.R.; Heavner, T.P.; and Donley, E.A., “Operation of the NIST-F1 caesium fountain primary frequency standard 

with a maser ensemble, including the impact of frequency transfer noise,” Metrologia, Vol. 42, pp. 423-430 (2005). 

Weiss, M.A.; Allan, D.W., “An NBS Calibration Procedure for Providing Time and Frequency at a Remote Site by Weighting and 

Smoothing of GPS Common View Data,” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. IM-36, pp. 572-578 (1987). 
Month xls

(s)

x

(ns)

y

(ns/d)

 T0

(MJD)

Valid until 0000 on:

(MJD)

Apr 12 -34 -374919.2 -38* 56018 56048

Mar 12 -34 -373741.2 -38 55987 56018*

Feb 12 -34 -373399.2 -38 55978 55987

Feb 12 -34 -372643.2 -37.8 55958 55978†

Jan 12 -34 -371471.4 37.8 55927 55958

Dec 11 -34 -370293.4 -38.0 55896 55927

Nov 11 -34 -370027.4 -38.0 55889 55896

Nov 11 -34 -369158 -37.8 55866 55889†

Oct 11 -34 -368477.6 -37.8 55848 55866

Oct 11 -34 -367983.6 -38.0 55835 55848†

Sep 11 -34 -367185.6 -38.0 55814 55835

Sep 11 -34 -366841.8 -38.2 55805 55814†

Aug 11 -34 -365654.5 -38.3 55774 55805

Jul 11 -34 -364467.2 -38.3 55743 55774

Jun 11 -34 -363318.2 -38.3 55713 55743

May 11 -34 -362130.9 -38.3 55682 55713

Apr 11 -34 -361288.3 -38.3 55660 55682

Apr 11 -34 -360980.3 -38.5 55652 55660†

Mar 11 -34 -359786.8 -38.5 55621 55652

Feb 11 -34 -359286.3 -38.5 55608 55621

Feb 11 -34 -358707.3 -38.6 55593 55608†

Jan 11 -34 -357896.7 -38.6 55572 55593

Jan 11 -34 -357508.7 -38.8 55562 55572†

† Rate change in mid-month

*Provisional value

The table below lists parameters that are used to define UTC(NIST) with respect to our real-time scale AT1. To find the

value of UTC(NIST) - AT1 at any time T (expressed as a Modified Julian Day, including a fraction if needed), the

appropriate equation to use is the one for which the desired T is greater than or equal to the entry in the T0 column and

less than the entry in the last column. The values of xls, x, and y for that month are then used in the equation below to

find the desired value. The parameters x and y represent the offsets in time and frequency, respectively, between

UTC(NIST) and AT1; the parameter xls is the number of leap seconds applied to both UTC(NIST) and UTC, as specified

by the IERS. Leap seconds are not applied to AT1.

5. UTC(NIST) – AT1 PARAMETERS

UTC(NIST) - AT1 = xls + x + y*(T -T0)

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