Title : Long Duration environmental effects on distributed precision time measurement
Abstract:
We present results from a new field-deployable instrumentation platform, the Ovante Time Study Logger (OTSL), designed to monitor long-duration coherence between GPS-disciplined and independent time references under real-world environmental conditions. Unlike laboratory-bound timing systems, OTSL is engineered for continuous operation in uncontrolled and extremeenvironments, enabling comparative studies of timing stability across geography and exposure regimes. Across multiple multi-week deployments in 2025, we observed structured, non-Gaussian deviations in time-offset behaviour that persist beyond expected network jitter, GPS noise, thermal effects, and power instability. A subsequent deployment incorporating refined controls reproduced similar patterns at reduced amplitude, suggesting a repeatable effect rather than a single-run artifact. These observations motivate systematic investigation of environmental influences on distributed timing coherence. We describe the instrumentation architecture, synchronization methodology, and data pipeline, and outline the next phase of the program: high-altitude deployment at Chacaltaya Observatory (~5,200m) and marine-environment exposure testing in Brest, France, to explore potential dependencies on atmospheric depth, geomagnetic conditions, and environmental stressors. This work demonstrates a scalable, low-cost framework for precision time measurement under extreme conditions and highlights the value of globally deployable instrumentation for probing subtle effects at the intersection of environment, infrastructure, and fundamental measurement science.
