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by gnosis 4894 days ago
Why doesn't BIPM want TAI to be used for timestamps?
2 comments

TAI is calculated in retrospect, as I understand it, based on the weighted contributions of the atomic timescales maintained by all of the participating countries. As a result, if you store a TAI timestamp in hopes of using it as an absolute time reference point, you will have to go back and update it when BIPM releases the next 'Circular T' bulletin (http://www.bipm.org/jsp/en/TimeFtp.jsp?TypePub=scale).
Read between the lines of http://www.bipm.org/cc/CCTF/Allowed/18/CCTF_09-27_note_on_UT... about what systems of time distribution already exist and which of those are approved for use by national and international agencies.