Some implications of reciprocity for two-way clock synchronization

Abstract

The difficulties related to propagation perturbances in one-way and two-way methods for the synchronization of remote clocks are defined, and a possible means of circumventing these problems in the two-way method is suggested. In the two-way method, if signals are launched from two sources, A and B, then the two signals arriving at A and B will be displaced in arrival time by an amount that is equal to the difference in launch times of the two signals. Thus, the only condition to comparing clocks is that the medium be isotropic. The practice implementation of this is explored theoretically, in some detail, with respect to the Loran-C navigation system.