An analysis of hydrogen maser frequency drift prediction possibility for steering UTC(PL)

The article focuses on the possibility of using a new method based on predicting the hydrogen maser frequency drift to control the Polish Time Scale UTC(PL). Controlling the national UTC(k) time scale is very important due to the fact that the scale is also the basis for determining the official time in a given country, and is also used in scientific research and the economy. The article describes in detail the new UTC(PL) steering method based on predicting the hydrogen maser frequency drift, and a number of research that has been carried out. The obtained preliminary results of the research on the use of the new UTC(PL) predicting method clearly showed the great potential of the presented method. The obtained residuals are within the range of ±0.73 ns, which indicates a very good quality of predicting as compared with type A uncertainties of UTC(PL) input points. It may allow UTC(PL) to be classified as one of the best time scales. Nevertheless, the method has its imperfections, which the authors plan to eliminate as part of further work on improving the method.