Chinese optical clock contributes to calibration of International Atomic Time

BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- For the first time, a Chinese-developed optical clock named NIM-Sr1 has contributed to the calibration of International Atomic Time (TAI), the State Administration for Market Regulation said on Tuesday.

The strontium optical lattice clock is developed by the National Institute of Metrology. Experts say the event marks a milestone in China's optical clock research and will enhance the country's influence in international time and frequency studies.

TAI is the basis for Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is the world's civil time standard. TAI is generated by timekeeping institutions around the world and calibrated using the most precise atomic clocks available internationally.