A preliminary experiment of determining the geopotential difference using two hydrogen atomic clocks and TWSTFT technique

Abstract

General relativity theory (GRT) concludes that a precise clock ticks at different running rates if it is under the influence of different geopotentials. Therefore, by comparing the running rates of clocks at arbitrary two stations, the geopotential difference between them can be determined. In this study, with the help of two hydrogen atomic clocks (noted as H-masers), using the two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) technique, we carried out experiments of the geopotential difference determination at the China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation (CASIC), Beijing. Here the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method is adopted to remove periodic signals included in the original observations. Finally, the clock-comparison-determined geopotential difference in the experiments is determined. Results show that the difference between the geopotential difference determined by GRT and that determined by measuring tape is about 1316.1 ± 931.0 m2s-2, which is equivalent to 134.3 ± 95.0 m in height, and in consistence with the stability of the H-masers applied in the experiments (at the level of 10−15/day). With the rapid improvement of atomic clocks' accuracy, the geopotential determination by accurate clocks is prospective, and it is promising to realize the unification of the world vertical height system (WVHS).

Keywords

• Hydrogen atomic clock
• TWSTFT technique
• EEMD method
• Geopotential