From Michelson to the Mise en Pratique

Dr. Michael Matus

Bundesamt für Eich- und Vermessungswesen (BEV), Vienna, Austria

michael.matus@bev.gv.at

Within the International System of Units, the metre always played a leading role in the advancement of measurement science. Michelson's work formed the basis for the definition of this base unit in two different ways. Today, actual length measurements are unthinkable without the interferometers named after him. The 1983 definition of the meter anticipated modern developments and finaly served as a blueprint for the fundamental SI-redefinition of 2018 for all base units. In the talk attention is drawn to the changes in meter realization that have largely gone unnoticed by the metrology community.

Michael Matus is the head of section for dimensional metrology, time and frequency and photometry at BEV, Austria’s national metrology institute, where he worked for over 30 years. On behalf of the Consultative Committee for Length he co-chairs the joint CCL-CCTF Working Group on Frequency Standards (CCL-CCTF-WGFS). Since 2008 he is also piloting the ongoing Key Comparison on national length standards CCL-K11.