Environmental factors and hydrogen maser frequency stability.

It is necessary to have a complete understanding of the environmental sensitivities of cavity-tuned hydrogen masers to obtain optimum frequency stability and to avoid common-mode frequency fluctuations. Measurements of environmental sensitivities (temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, line voltage and magnetic field) made at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have demonstrated that the frequency stability of a cavity-tuned, active hydrogen maser is not significantly degraded if the maser is operated in a moderately controlled environment. Under these conditions, common-mode frequency fluctuations caused by the observed environmental factors also are negligible.