Lightboxes
Cart
alb3792914

NBS-2, NIST Atomic Clock

In 1952, NIST completed the first accurate measurement of the frequency of the cesium clock resonance. The apparatus for this measurement is named NBS-1. In 1955, the National Physical Laboratory in England built the first cesium-beam clock used as a calibration source. In 1959, the NBS-1 went into regular service as NIST's primary frequency standard. In 1960, NBS-2 was inaugurated in Boulder; it could run for long periods unattended and was used to calibrate secondary standards. It was one of the two cesium beam frequency standards that were in operation, making it possible to refer the national standard of frequency to an atomic resonance. It was accurate to within 1.5 parts in 10. Charles Snider of the Radio Standards Laboratory pours liquid nitrogen over a cold trap of the new cesium beam frequency standard as Roger Beehler adjusts the atomic beam detector. The U-shaped resonant cavity used to excite the cesium transition is suspended above the center of the machine. An atomic clock is a clock device that uses an electronic transition frequency in the microwave, optical, or ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum of atoms as a frequency standard for its timekeeping element. Atomic clocks are the most accurate time and frequency standards known, and are used as primary standards for international time distribution services, to control the wave frequency of television broadcasts, and in global navigation satellite systems such as GPS.
Share
pinterestPinterest
twitterTwitter
facebookFacebook
emailEmail

Add to another lightbox

Add to another lightbox
add to lightbox print share
Do you already have an account? Sign in
You do not have an account? Register
Buy this image
Loading...
Title:
NBS-2, NIST Atomic Clock
Caption:
In 1952, NIST completed the first accurate measurement of the frequency of the cesium clock resonance. The apparatus for this measurement is named NBS-1. In 1955, the National Physical Laboratory in England built the first cesium-beam clock used as a calibration source. In 1959, the NBS-1 went into regular service as NIST's primary frequency standard. In 1960, NBS-2 was inaugurated in Boulder; it could run for long periods unattended and was used to calibrate secondary standards. It was one of the two cesium beam frequency standards that were in operation, making it possible to refer the national standard of frequency to an atomic resonance. It was accurate to within 1.5 parts in 10. Charles Snider of the Radio Standards Laboratory pours liquid nitrogen over a cold trap of the new cesium beam frequency standard as Roger Beehler adjusts the atomic beam detector. The U-shaped resonant cavity used to excite the cesium transition is suspended above the center of the machine. An atomic clock is a clock device that uses an electronic transition frequency in the microwave, optical, or ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum of atoms as a frequency standard for its timekeeping element. Atomic clocks are the most accurate time and frequency standards known, and are used as primary standards for international time distribution services, to control the wave frequency of television broadcasts, and in global navigation satellite systems such as GPS.
Personalities:
Credit:
Album / NIST/Science Source
Releases:
Model: No - Property: No
Rights questions?
Image size:
4200 x 3176 px | 38.2 MB
Print size:
35.6 x 26.9 cm | 14.0 x 10.6 in (300 dpi)
Keywords: