But there's the rub. Many people/organizations use "UTC," and it's enshrined in many legal systems. But, just like TAI, is
really only on paper as it isn't known until after the fact, when all the contributing clocks are compared and the data
massaged.
Typically when "UTC" is used in legal systems they are referring
to it as a timescale, an abstract system. They are not specifying
which cesium clock in which lab must be used for the timestamp
or how many nanoseconds it's off from some mean.
Put another way, can someone say they know UTC any better
than they know TAI?
No, in that context they just differ by 34 seconds (until July).
US Code says "Coordinated Universal Time defined
In this section, the term “Coordinated Universal Time” means the time scale maintained through the General Conference of Weights
and Measures and interpreted or modified for the United States by the Secretary of Commerce in coordination with the Secretary
of the Navy."
You tell me, is that UTC, or UTC(USNO) or UTC(NIST), or something completely
different?
That's a good one for the other list (LEAPSECS). A couple of
the posters delight in these questions. Or better yet read its
archives. There are literally hundreds of postings about these
sorts of legal issues.
/tvb
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