Reducing the jitters: how a chip-scale atomic clock can help mitigate broadband interference

THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM IS A MARVEL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. It has become so ubiquitous that we are starting to take it for granted. Receivers are everywhere. In our vehicle satnav units, in our smart phones, even in some of our cameras. They are used to monitor the movement of the Earth's crust, to measure water vapor in the troposphere, and to study the effects of space weather. They allow surveyors to work more efficiently and prevent us from getting lost in the woods. They navigate aircraft and ships, and they help synchronize mobile phone and electricity networks, and precisely time financial transactions.