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Lunar reference timescale

delete2026-02-01
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OA
AI
A
Adrien Bourgoin *
P
Pascale Defraigne
F
Frédéric Meynadier
DOI:10.1088/1681-7575/ae2c03delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Setting up a relativistic lunar reference frame is of a prime importance in the context of future exploration missions to the Moon. If the procedure for building a consistent reference frame within the framework of the general theory of relativity is well established (see resolutions B.3 of International Astronomical Union 2000), there is still some freedom in the choice of the coordinate timescale to be adopted as reference in the lunar region. In this paper, we review the orders of magnitude of the relativistic effects resulting from (i) the gravitational redshift of a clock on the lunar surface and (ii) the time transformations between a clock on the surface of the Moon and a clock on the surface of the Earth. We then discuss possible options for a lunar reference timescale with their advantages and drawbacks, taking note that the solution which is adopted for the Moon shall then be reemployed for Mars and other planets. Finally, we propose possible realizations of the lunar reference timescale as well as its traceability to UTC.
Keywords:
general relativity
reference systems
lunar timescale

Journal

M
Metrologia
IF:
2.4
Papers:
55
Citations:
4.2K

Organization

C
centre national de la recherche scientifique (cnrs)
Scholars:
24.5W
Papers: 18.2W
Citations: 279
H
hesam universite
Scholars:
3.6K
Papers: 3.0K
Citations: 16
S
Sorbonne Universite
Scholars:
6.2W
Papers: 4.5W
Citations: 605
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Cited Papers

Cited Papers

Relativistic theory for time comparisons: a review
err2005-06-07
err0
PREAI
errGérard Petit; Peter Wolf
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GRGM900C: A degree 900 lunar gravity model from GRAIL primary and extended mission data
err2014-05-29
err0
errOAAI
errFrank G. Lemoine; Sander Goossens; Terence J. Sabaka; Joseph B. Nicholas; Erwan Mazarico; David D. Rowlands; Bryant D. Loomis; Douglas S. Chinn; Gregory A. Neumann; David E. Smith; Maria T. Zuber
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The IAU 2000 resolutions for astrometry, celestial mechanics, and metrology in the relativistic framework: Explanatory supplement
err2003-12-01
err307
errOAAI
errSoffel, M; Klioner, SA; Petit, G; Wolf, P; Kopeikin, SM; Bretagnon, P; Brumberg, VA; Capitaine, N; Damour, T; Fukushima, T; Guinot, B; Huang, TY; Lindegren, L; Ma, C; Nordtvedt, K; Ries, JC; Seidelmann, PK; Vokrouhlicky, D; Will, CM; Xu, C
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General-relativistic celestial mechanics. IV. Theory of satellite motion
err1994-01-15
err0
PREAI
errThibault Damour; Michael Soffel; Chongming Xu
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Lunar time in general relativity
err
err0
PREAI
errKopeikin,Sergei M.; Kaplan,George H.
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Relativistic Time Transformations between the Solar System Barycenter, Earth, and Moon
err2025-05-20
err0
errOAAI
errTuryshev, Slava G.; Williams, James G.; Boggs, Dale H.; Park, Ryan S.
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