BIPM - BIPM highlights

JCGM surveys on the VIM3 and the GUM

The Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology (JCGM) and its two working groups seek your feedback on the International vocabulary of metrology – Basic and general concepts and associated terms (VIM3), and the Guide for the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM). We encourage you to complete the online questionnaires now available from the Joint BIPM-OIML Web Portal, http://www.metrologyinfo.org/. – Complete survey now!

Vacancy announcement : Ionizing Radiation Department Director

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PRESS RELEASE: ITU Radiocommunication Assembly defers decision to eliminate the leap second

The ITU Radiocommunication Assembly has reached an important decision to defer the development of a continuous time standard in order to address the concerns of countries that use the current system of the leap second in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
The decision has been reached to ensure that all the technical options have been fully addressed in further studies related to the issue. These studies will involve further discussions within the ITU membership and with other organizations that have an interest in this matter and will be referred to the next Radiocommunication Assembly and World Radiocommunication Conference scheduled for 2015. – ITU Press Release, 19 January 2012

Special issue of Metrologia on Neutron Metrology

This special issue completes Metrologia's trilogy on measurements in Ionizing Radiation, comprising issues on Radionuclide Metrology, Dosimetry, and Neutron Metrology. This essential reference provides a broad overview of neutron metrology, aiming to give both a clear introduction to the novice as well as an up-to-date description of the latest scientific developments for the more experienced reader.
Guest editors: David Thomas (NPL), Ralf Nolte (PTB) and Vincent Gressier (IRSN) – Browse Metrologia 48(6), December 2011

KCDB Newsletter

Issue 16 (December 2011) is now available – Click here

PRESS RELEASE: The proposed redefinition of Coordinated Universal Time, UTC

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) has issued the following press release to explain the proposed redefinition of Coordinated Universal Time, UTC. It sets out clearly the reasons for the change and what is involved. – Click here for the full press release

PRESS RELEASE: UTC for the 21st Century

The BIPM has issued a press release following the Royal Society Discussion Meeting on UTC for the 21st Century, which was held at the Kavli Royal Society International Centre, UK, on 3-4 November 2011. The meeting was organized by Dr Terry Quinn and Dr Felicitas Arias. – Click here for the full press release

BIPM Bulletin

News from Session II of the 100th meeting of the CIPM and the 24th meeting of the CGPM is now available – Click here

The BIPM, OIML, ILAC and ISO have issued a joint declaration on metrological traceability

This declaration from the four internationally recognized bodies responsible for metrology, accreditation and standardization world-wide, addresses everyone for whom traceability is important. – 9 November 2011

Resolutions of the CGPM (2011)

Resolutions adopted at the 24th meeting of the CGPM (17–21 October 2011) – See: Resolutions of the 24th meeting of the CGPM

PRESS RELEASE: CGPM approves possible changes to the SI, including redefinition of the kilogram

The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) has issued a press release following the unanimous vote by the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) to adopt Resolution 1: “On the possible future revision of the International System of Units, the SI”. – Click here for the full press release

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: BMM (Montenegro)

On behalf of BMM (Bureau of Metrology), Vanja ASANOVIC signed the CIPM MRA on 19 October 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

Results of the first direct comparison of the quantum Hall effect in epitaxial graphene and gallium-arsenide have been published

A future redefinition of the units for mass and current in terms of the Planck constant h and electron charge e, respectively, will depend on the accuracy of the relationships that provide a link between these constants and measurable macroscopic quantities. The quantum Hall effect (QHE) is an example of such a relationship, whereby the Hall resistance shows a series of quantized plateaux with values h/ie², where i is an integer, independent of the material. The first direct comparison of the QHE in epitaxial graphene and gallium-arsenide was carried out jointly by the NPL (UK), the BIPM and researchers from Swedish and UK universities. The quantized resistance values were found to be identical in graphene and gallium-arsenide within the relative standard uncertainty of the measurement of 8.6 × 10⁻¹¹ providing proof of the universality of the QHE in different materials. – Download the paper from New J. Phys., 2011, 13, 093026

Special issue of Metrologia on Modern Applications of Timescales

This special issue of Metrologia reviews timescales in use today, including the internationally recognized references as well as some other scales adapted to specific applications. It discusses new and future developments and presents the - sometimes complex - procedures for making international recommendations.
Guest editors: E.F. Arias, W. Lewandowski (BIPM) – Browse Metrologia 48(4), August 2011

BIPM Bulletin

News from the BIPM and session I of the 100th meeting of the CIPM is now available – Click here

New associate of the CGPM: Montenegro

As of 1 August 2011, Montenegro is an Associate of the CGPM. – See the full list of Member States and Associates

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: NPSL (Pakistan)

On behalf of NPSL (National Physical and Standards Laboratory), Shaheen RAJA signed the CIPM MRA on 6 July 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

Announcement of the death of Pierre Giacomo

It is with great sadness that the BIPM wishes to announce the death of Pierre Giacomo, Emeritus Director of the BIPM, on 29 June 2011.
Pierre Giacomo joined the BIPM as physicien chercheur principal on 1 November 1966. He was appointed by the CIPM as Deputy Director in October 1968, and as Director Designate on 30 September 1976. He took over from Dr Terrien as Director of the BIPM on 1 January 1978 and retired on 31 July 1988.
With the death of Pierre Giacomo we have lost a great metrologist. We will always keep him in our memory. – Pierre Giacomo

David Burns elected as Fellow of the Institute of Physics

Dr David T. Burns, Principal Physicist at the BIPM, has been elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Physics in the UK, in recognition of his personal contribution to the advancement of physics. The BIPM is proud to announce this honour in acknowledgment of his scientific research, publications, international standing and supervision of the BIPM international dosimetry standards programme. – Dosimetry at the BIPM

Andrew Wallard awarded a CBE for services to international measurement

Professor Andrew Wallard, Director Emeritus of the BIPM, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2011. The award is in recognition of Professor Wallard's services to international measurement. – Emeritus Directors

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: IMBIH (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

On behalf of IMBIH (Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina), Zijad DZEMIC signed the CIPM MRA on 15 June 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

KCDB Newsletter

Issue 15 (June 2011) is now available – Click here

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: SASO (Saudi Arabia)

On behalf of SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization), Mr Nabil Ameen Molla signed the CIPM MRA on 25 May 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

New associate of the CGPM: Bosnia and Herzegovina

As of 24 May 2011, Bosnia and Herzegovina is an Associate of the CGPM. – See the full list of Member States and Associates

Dr Takashi Usuda has been awarded the Ichimura Prize in Technology

Dr Takashi Usuda, a visiting scientist at the BIPM, was awarded this prestigious prize on 28 April 2011 by the New Technology Development Foundation, Japan, for his contribution to improvement of the National Metrology Standard of Vibration Measurement.
The award was in recognition of his work on development of a laser interferometer for vibration acceleration calibration. The laser interferometer enables high resolution and robust characteristics against vibration noise*. He also established the national calibration programme for vibration acceleration in Japan. His achievements improved the Japanese metrology standard of vibration measurement and ensured the traceability of vibration measurements in industry to the national standard.
*T. Usuda et al., Development of laser interferometer for a sine-approximation method, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 4827, p. 29-36 (2002) – Dr. Takashi Usuda

Special issue of Metrologia on International determination of the Avogadro constant

This special issue of Metrologia collects papers about the results of an international research project aimed at the determination of the Avogadro constant, N_A, by counting the atoms in a silicon crystal highly enriched with the isotope ²⁸Si.
Guest editors: Enrico Massa and Arnold Nicolaus – Browse Metrologia 48(2), April 2011

New Member State: Saudi Arabia

The BIPM is pleased to announce that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia acceded to the BIPM on 11 February 2011, bringing the number of Member States to 55. – See the full list of Member States and Associates

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: BSTI (Bangladesh)

On behalf of the BSTI (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, Bangladesh), Mr A. K. Fazlul Ahad signed the CIPM MRA on 25 March 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

Biosciences and biotechnology final report

The final report entitled 'Study of Measurement Service and Comparison Needs for an International Measurement Infrastructure for the Biosciences and Biotechnology: Input for the BIPM Work Programme' is now available. The final report can be downloaded from the BIPM website. –

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: MSB (Mauritius)

On behalf of the Mauritius Standards Bureau (MSB), Mauritius, Mr Khemraj Ramful signed the CIPM MRA on 9 March 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

World Metrology Day (20 May 2011)

This year's theme is "Chemical measurements for our life, our future". We invite you to download the promotional poster from the World Metrology Day website. – www.worldmetrologyday.org

"New SI" web pages

Draft Resolution A of the Convocation of the next meeting of the CGPM presents the intention of the CIPM to propose a possible future revision of the SI based on fixing the numerical values of four invariants of nature: the Planck constant, the elementary charge, the Boltzmann constant and the Avogadro constant.
In order to encourage communication, awareness and debate on this important possible change, the BIPM is pleased to present its new web pages dedicated to explaining the "New SI" and giving access to Draft Resolution A as well as to Draft Chapter 2 of the next edition of the SI Brochure. – See http://www.bipm.org/en/new_si/

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: ZABS (Zambia)

On behalf of the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), Zambia, Mr Mataa Mukelabai signed the CIPM MRA on 3 February 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

New signatory of the CIPM MRA: NMI-SIRDC (Zimbabwe)

On behalf of the NMI-SIRDC (Zimbabwe), Mr Matthew Ranganai signed the CIPM MRA on 14 January 2011. – See the updated list of participants in the CIPM MRA

The results of the "Avogadro project" have been published

The International Avogadro Coordination project brings together several NMIs as well as the BIPM and the IRMM in a collaborative effort to determine the Avogadro constant – essentially by counting the number of atoms in a ²⁸Si crystal of known mass. Alain Picard, Director of the BIPM's Mass Department, has primary responsibility for the required mass measurements. By virtue of its extraordinarily low uncertainty, the result just published for the Avogadro constant, N_A = 6.022 140 78(18) x 10²³ mol^–1, will be an important input datum for a future redefinition of the kilogram. An even lower uncertainty is anticipated in the foreseeable future. – Download the paper from Phys. Rev. Lett., 2011, 106, 030801

Change of Director

As of 1 January 2011, Prof. Michael Kühne is Director of the BIPM. On his retirement, Prof. Andrew Wallard becomes Director Emeritus. – Click here for more details