Estimation of Parameters in Models for Cesium Beam Atomic Clocks

Area of Science:

• Metrology
• Statistical Modeling
• Atomic Physics

Background:

• Atomic clocks are crucial for timekeeping and navigation.
• Accurate modeling of atomic clock performance is essential.
• Existing methods may not adequately handle complex data patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Kalman filter for atomic clock modeling.
• To detail maximum likelihood estimation of model parameters.
• To address data challenges like missing or unequally spaced measurements.

Main Methods:

• Application of the Kalman filter for time-series analysis.
• Maximum likelihood estimation for parameter inference.
• Development of techniques for handling multivariate, incomplete data.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the utility of the Kalman filter in atomic clock modeling.
• Successfully obtained maximum likelihood estimates for clock parameters.
• Established the existence of deterministic frequency drifts in atomic clocks.
• Provided estimates for these frequency drifts.

Conclusions:

• The Kalman filter offers a robust framework for atomic clock modeling.
• The methods described effectively handle real-world data complexities.
• Deterministic frequency drifts are a significant factor in atomic clock performance.