Applications Aspects of Time and Frequency to Astronomy

Abstract

The paper describes the pivotal role of accurate time and frequency standards in several experiments in the frontiers of present-day astrophysical research. Applications in lunar occultation studies bring valuable results of stellar sizes and structures, besides geodetic and selenographic data. Some aspects of studies of pulsars which would be impossible without a stable frequency and time standard have been described. In the domain of interferometry, very-long baseline techniques have opened out possibilities of obtaining high-resolution pictures of the celestial sources; the method depends on availability of highly-stable frequency standards. Possible future applications in several other related experiments are discussed.