Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CLONETS-DS (Clock Network Services - Design Study)
Période du rapport: 2022-04-01 au 2023-03-31
Time and frequency transmission systems based on fiber optic networks have been developed for many years. There are some national infrastructures and cross-border test connections for metrological research. The project partners see a need to build a European reference network for the transmission of time and frequency signals as a long-term goal. Meetings with stakeholders have confirmed the need to build a European infrastructure based on European NMIs, NRENs, academic research institutes and universities, and commercial companies.
The benefits of access to precise time and frequency signals would be evident in many fields of science and industries like Navigation, Transport, Power Grids systems, Finance, Telecommunication, Security, Defence. The 8 most interested areas have been identified in workshop in Bad Honnef: Fundamental Physics, Quantum Technology, Optical Clocks & SI, Geodesy, Astronomy, Navigation and GNSS, Next Generation Telecommunication systems, and T&F Dissemination systems.
The CLONES-DS project is the next step in bringing us closer to achieve this vision. The project aims to establish a pan-European time and frequency reference system as a European Research Infrastructure to serve the European science community. It is based on transmitting ultra precise time and frequency information via optical fiber. The project builds on several joint European projects and its direct precursor project CLONETS. We now go far beyond previous efforts by designing a sustainable, pan-European, ultra-precise time-and-frequency reference-system available to the European research community. This Research Infrastructure considers user needs, designs the required architecture, engineering models and roadmaps, and develops a sustainability model for the future service, thus strengthening the European research area.
Ultimately, the project:
1. Elaborated the needs of the scientific community for ultraprecise timing and frequencies in fields of research, including: physics, metrology including optical clock comparisons, applications in geodesy and/or very long base line interferometry (VLBI), telecommunication, and navigation. Gained feedback and defined user requirements for an envisaged time and frequency reference system provided via optical fibre at selected points of presence (PoP) (D1.1 D1.2).
2. Mapped network architecture to support T&F services at the highest, most advanced level of stability and accuracy without interdependencies to allow parallel use by different scientific communities and multiple users at the same time. (D2.1)
3. Designed an engineering model as well as a deployment strategy that assure interoperability of already existing implementations at European level (D2.2 D4.3) and possible future extensions including the creation of a Data Management Plan (D2.3) to ensure that all envisioned users profit from a common data platform in an appropriate way.
4. Defined roadmaps (D4.2) and strategies to implement a sustainable research infrastructure. This included a costing model, governance, as well as dissemination and exploitation plans to estimate potential future economic and societal impact.
5. Elaborated plans for the integration of necessary environment into the European landscape, including possible implementation into the ESFRI strategy (D4.2). Provided summary of recommendations to policy makers, and disseminated information to stakeholders and users via workshops, international conferences and trade shows (D3.2; D4.4).
The benefits of access to precise time and frequency signals would be evident in many fields of science and industries like Navigation, Transport, Power Grids systems, Finance, Telecommunication, Security, Defence. The 8 most interested areas have been identified in workshop in Bad Honnef: Fundamental Physics, Quantum Technology, Optical Clocks & SI, Geodesy, Astronomy, Navigation and GNSS, Next Generation Telecommunication systems, and T&F Dissemination systems.
The CLONES-DS project is the next step in bringing us closer to achieve this vision. The project aims to establish a pan-European time and frequency reference system as a European Research Infrastructure to serve the European science community. It is based on transmitting ultra precise time and frequency information via optical fiber. The project builds on several joint European projects and its direct precursor project CLONETS. We now go far beyond previous efforts by designing a sustainable, pan-European, ultra-precise time-and-frequency reference-system available to the European research community. This Research Infrastructure considers user needs, designs the required architecture, engineering models and roadmaps, and develops a sustainability model for the future service, thus strengthening the European research area.
Ultimately, the project:
1. Elaborated the needs of the scientific community for ultraprecise timing and frequencies in fields of research, including: physics, metrology including optical clock comparisons, applications in geodesy and/or very long base line interferometry (VLBI), telecommunication, and navigation. Gained feedback and defined user requirements for an envisaged time and frequency reference system provided via optical fibre at selected points of presence (PoP) (D1.1 D1.2).
2. Mapped network architecture to support T&F services at the highest, most advanced level of stability and accuracy without interdependencies to allow parallel use by different scientific communities and multiple users at the same time. (D2.1)
3. Designed an engineering model as well as a deployment strategy that assure interoperability of already existing implementations at European level (D2.2 D4.3) and possible future extensions including the creation of a Data Management Plan (D2.3) to ensure that all envisioned users profit from a common data platform in an appropriate way.
4. Defined roadmaps (D4.2) and strategies to implement a sustainable research infrastructure. This included a costing model, governance, as well as dissemination and exploitation plans to estimate potential future economic and societal impact.
5. Elaborated plans for the integration of necessary environment into the European landscape, including possible implementation into the ESFRI strategy (D4.2). Provided summary of recommendations to policy makers, and disseminated information to stakeholders and users via workshops, international conferences and trade shows (D3.2; D4.4).
The work in the project is split into 5 work packages. Three workpackages (WP1, WP2, WP3) are highly collaborative. The following work was performed from M1 to M30:
WP1 (ended M19)
• Organized stakeholder workshop (D1.1) Analysis of data obtained from 68 organisations representing 13 countries throughout Europe
• Prepared draft of requirements and definition (M1.1 and D1.2)
WP2
• Prepared and delivered D2.3 Data Management Plan
• Identified functionalities as building blocks for the hardware of the network (D2.1)
• Derived a generalised topological structure for the technical design of an international core network; delivered M2.1 First Draft of Definition of the Core Network, M2.2 Engineering Plan and D2.2 Roadmap for Technical Implementation
WP3
• Prepared Principles of cooperation and governance structure (M3.1 and D3.1 Governance and Sustainability)
• Meetings held to discuss governance, total cost of ownership of T&F infrastructure in Europe, sustainability model for the services, cooperation with other projects, etc.
• Delivered M3.2 Governance Structure, M3.3 Budget Scenarios, M3.4 Roadmap, and M3.5 Workshop
• Based on the topology of the network proposed in WP2 (three rings), the costs of building and maintaining the network were analysed.
WP4
• Feeding the homepage of the project,
• Prepare conference presentations and posters to promote project,
• Contact with policy makers at national level,
• Interact and participation with EURAMET program
• Prepare publication of scientific papers in Geophysical Journal International
• Consortium representatives consulted the necessary steps of the consortium toward ESFRI; with relevant ESFRI and government representatives in the Czech Republic, Poland, France and Germany
• The stakeholder meeting (organized in WP1) discussions w/ ESFRI delegates, discussed roadmap
• Prepared user-friendly access model between RIs and research organisations and the CLONETS infrastructure under construction; a blueprint of the proposed infrastructure and a roadmap towards a implementation strategy (Deliverable D4.2)
• Delivered positioning paper on Access Models (D4.1)
WP5
• Established rules for collaboration, mailing list, storage place
• Designed, created and constantly supplemented web page of the project (achieved M5.1)
• Proposed and elected Advisory board of the project (achieved M5.2)
• Prepared logos and templates for project partners (achieved M5.3)
• Published 4 newsletters
• Four, significant project-wide meetings were managed: Kick-off; 1st and 2nd Assembly Meeting and final project meeting
WP1 (ended M19)
• Organized stakeholder workshop (D1.1) Analysis of data obtained from 68 organisations representing 13 countries throughout Europe
• Prepared draft of requirements and definition (M1.1 and D1.2)
WP2
• Prepared and delivered D2.3 Data Management Plan
• Identified functionalities as building blocks for the hardware of the network (D2.1)
• Derived a generalised topological structure for the technical design of an international core network; delivered M2.1 First Draft of Definition of the Core Network, M2.2 Engineering Plan and D2.2 Roadmap for Technical Implementation
WP3
• Prepared Principles of cooperation and governance structure (M3.1 and D3.1 Governance and Sustainability)
• Meetings held to discuss governance, total cost of ownership of T&F infrastructure in Europe, sustainability model for the services, cooperation with other projects, etc.
• Delivered M3.2 Governance Structure, M3.3 Budget Scenarios, M3.4 Roadmap, and M3.5 Workshop
• Based on the topology of the network proposed in WP2 (three rings), the costs of building and maintaining the network were analysed.
WP4
• Feeding the homepage of the project,
• Prepare conference presentations and posters to promote project,
• Contact with policy makers at national level,
• Interact and participation with EURAMET program
• Prepare publication of scientific papers in Geophysical Journal International
• Consortium representatives consulted the necessary steps of the consortium toward ESFRI; with relevant ESFRI and government representatives in the Czech Republic, Poland, France and Germany
• The stakeholder meeting (organized in WP1) discussions w/ ESFRI delegates, discussed roadmap
• Prepared user-friendly access model between RIs and research organisations and the CLONETS infrastructure under construction; a blueprint of the proposed infrastructure and a roadmap towards a implementation strategy (Deliverable D4.2)
• Delivered positioning paper on Access Models (D4.1)
WP5
• Established rules for collaboration, mailing list, storage place
• Designed, created and constantly supplemented web page of the project (achieved M5.1)
• Proposed and elected Advisory board of the project (achieved M5.2)
• Prepared logos and templates for project partners (achieved M5.3)
• Published 4 newsletters
• Four, significant project-wide meetings were managed: Kick-off; 1st and 2nd Assembly Meeting and final project meeting
As mentioned earlier, the main far-reaching goal is to build a reference network for the transmission of time and frequency signals in Europe and to build up time and frequency transmission services. The result of the project will be the delivery of a design study, which will be the basis to start efforts to build a fully functional transmission infrastructure covering Europe.
The proposed research infrastructure will support fundamental and applied research at the highest level in many different fields, enable new physics to be explored at the forefront of science, foster innovation by enabling the development of novel technologies and will allow European industry to use time and frequency references with unprecedented accuracy and stability. This will assure Europe’s leading position in this field for years to come.
The project will provide a solid basis for a decision-making process at the European level for a sustainable fibre-based T&F infrastructure. It will compare the needs of European RI with the potential benefits and define user requirements. We will develop an engineering plan and a roadmap for the full implementation of the infrastructure, taking into account costs, geographical user locations and synergy potentials through collaboration with NREN.
The proposed research infrastructure will support fundamental and applied research at the highest level in many different fields, enable new physics to be explored at the forefront of science, foster innovation by enabling the development of novel technologies and will allow European industry to use time and frequency references with unprecedented accuracy and stability. This will assure Europe’s leading position in this field for years to come.
The project will provide a solid basis for a decision-making process at the European level for a sustainable fibre-based T&F infrastructure. It will compare the needs of European RI with the potential benefits and define user requirements. We will develop an engineering plan and a roadmap for the full implementation of the infrastructure, taking into account costs, geographical user locations and synergy potentials through collaboration with NREN.