NUMBER 100

DATE: 12/04/91

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During October, NOA, ESA, AES and JMA processed greater than 92% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations were reported by NOA and ESA.

AES reported a computer system crash over a weekend that caused the loss of two days of data. An error was discovered by AES in the backlog B2 data for GOES-7 covering the period from July through October 91; replacement data have been shipped to the GPC.

JMA reported loss of one AC image because of a computer operational problem.

CSU reported shipping all of the INSAT B2 data for 88; processing of the remaining data for January - April 89 is nearing completion. No routine collection of MET-50 data has begun; however, a test image was captured and formatted to resemble the B2 data that ESA sends to the GPC. Garrett Campbell visited the GPC to deliver the test data tape and work out final format details. Normalization and navigation of the INSAT data were also reviewed during this visit.

Special Area Processing Center (SAPC):

No reports were received.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

The SCC received AC data for GMS-4 and GOES-7 for October 91 and for NOAA-11 through September 91. BC data for METEOSAT-4, GMS-4 and GOES-7 for July 91 were sent to the GPC; extra BC data for GOES-7 for June 91 were also sent.

Global Processing Center (GPC):

The GPC continued to receive B2 data, BC data and correlative data in a routine manner.

Production of NOAA-11 (preliminary) B3 data is current. Monitoring of the visible channel calibration shows the beginning of a calibration drift sometime in early 90; however, instead of a decrease in instrument sensitivity, the instrument seems to be getting more sensitive! The NOAA-11 AVHRR continues to behave like no other instrument in the series. A comparison of ISCCP monitoring results with the analysis of data from five aircraft flights also shows some disturbing discrepancies. Despite excellent agreement on the calibration ratio between NOAA-9 and NOAA-11 and agreement on the direction of the drift, the aircraft data show a sharp decrease in sensitivity during the first year that is not observed in the ISCCP results. Moreover, this large decrease is not found in the results of two other vicarious methods. Two additional facts: (1) there were some operational problems with some (all?) of these aircraft flights that cast some doubt on the results and (2) apparently NOAA changed the operating temperature of the AVHRR at some time in late 89, early 90. All of this is being investigated.

Production of all NOAA-10 B3 data has been completed and data for January 90 through August 91 have been delivered to the ICA. Of course, the very last visible data from NOAA-10 for the first half of September 91 (and possibly the last one or two weeks of August 91) do not appear to have the same calibration as for the preceding several years. This anomaly will be checked while normalizing the calibration of NOAA-12.

Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current.

Production of METEOSAT-4 (preliminary) B3 data is current.

Production of GOES-7 (preliminary) B3 data is current. The backlog of GOES-7 B2 data, covering the period from March through October 91 was received; however, AES reported a problem with the data from July onwards. Preliminary B3 data have been produced for March through June 91.

Production of GMS-4 (preliminary) B3 data is current. Data for July - December 89 were re-calibrated and shipped to the ICA.

Production of INSAT-1 (preliminary) B3 data has been completed for January through December 86. The B2 data for January - December 88 were received from CSU. Detailed normalization results have been received for 86, 87, and 88.

A test B2 image for MET-3 (at 50 W) was successfully converted into a B3 image; a few problems with header calibration information were encountered because CSU lacks complete documentation on the "standard" METEOSAT format (the GPC does not receive data in a "standard" form).

Production of TOVS and the ice/snow correlative datasets is current.

C1 data for March, April, May, June and July 89 have been completed. The ISCCP climatology is now more than six years long, surpassing the NIMBUS-7 climatology. The labeling error in August 88 METEOSAT data was corrected and both the B3 and C1 data were re-processed. The C2 data for 88 were delivered to the ICA.

ISCCP Central Archive (ICA):

The ICA continued to receive B1 data from NOA, AES, ESA, and JMA and B3 and C data from the GPC in a routine manner.

The health of GMS-4, METEOSAT-3 (at 50 W), METEOSAT-4, METEOSAT-5, GOES-7, NOAA-11, and NOAA-12 remained good.

Delivering backlog of GOES-7 B2 data for July 91 through October 91 to the GPC.

Delivering backlog of INSAT-1 B2 data for January 89 through April 89 to the GPC.

Delivery backlog for B3 data = 16 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 78 months have been archived.

Delivery backlog for C1/C2 data = 21 months (with respect to planned schedule). C1 data for 73 months have been archived.