NUMBER 131

DATE: 06/17/94

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During April, NOA, ESA, JMA, and CSU processed greater than 93% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for April were reported by NOA, ESA, JMA and CSU. Reports and B2 data have been received from AES for January, February, March and May, but not for April 94. For these months AES processed greater than 91% of A data into B1/B2 data.

AES reported loss of 21 images in both January and March due to a computer fault.

NOA reported that funding has now been found to resume deliveries of NOAA-12 (morning satellite) B2 data; in fact, deliveries were not interrupted for very long.

Special Area Processing Center (SAPC):

No report received.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

The SCC received AC data for February and March 94 for NOAA-11, for March 94 for GOES-7, and for April 94 for GMS-4, METEOSAT-3 and METEOSAT-5. BC data for GOES-7 for October, November, December 93 and January 94, for MET-3 for November 93, and for MET-4 for January 94 were sent to the GPC. To verify changes in MET-3 occurring around October 93, a special combined BC dataset for October and November 93 was also produced.

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. Both visible and infrared radiance calibrations have been revised, using NOAA-9 as the new standard. The new visible calibration is 9.4% higher than previously and a trend correction of 0.14% per month was derived after eliminating the effects of the Pinatubo volcanic aerosols. Note that the NOAA-11 radiometer grows more sensitive with time, rather than degrading. The infrared brightness temperatures were reduced by 0.5K based on NOAA-9.

Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current. NOAA-12 calibration has been normalized to the NOAA-9 standard. The visible radiances are reduced by 9.2% and a degradation of 0.45% per month removed. The infrared brightness temperatures have been increased by about 2K. After re-calibration, delivery of NOAA-12 B3 will commence next month.

Now that the reference polar orbiters have been re-calibrated, production of a new set of calibration tables (BT data) and recalibration of all of the B3 data beyond June 91 has commenced. The NOAA-7 visible calibration has been reduced by 8.2%, NOAA-8 reduced by 0.4% and NOAA-10 increased by 6.65%. The NOAA-7 infrared brightness temperatures have been reduced by about 1.5K, the NOAA-8 values reduced by about 2K, and no change was made to NOAA-10.

Production of GOES-7 (preliminary) B3 data is current. The processing of the UWS replacement B2 data continues. The backlog of GOES-7 B2 data deliveries has been eliminated with the exception of the data for April 94.

Production of METEOSAT-3 (preliminary) B3 data is current. The processing of B3 data for May 92 through September 93 continues.

Production of METEOSAT-4 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. METEOSAT-5 production has not yet begun.

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

Production of all INSAT-1 (preliminary) B3 data has been completed.

Production of the ice/snow and TOVS correlative datasets is current; however, we are awaiting delivery of the sea ice data for 92 and 93. Access to sea ice data for 92 has been obtained, but the whole dataset has not yet been acquired.

All of the new processing software is now complete, with the exception of a few parts of the D2 processing. The whole system has been run on a number of months of data, but testing continues to check for errors. Problems have been encountered with the procedure for retrieving optical thicknesses for ice phase clouds supplied by P. Minnis at NASA Langley. There seem to be some situations where the relation between the water sphere and ice crystal calculations exhibits very large sensitivity, producing physically unrealistic results. The reasons for this behavior are being explored by Minnis and by a group at the GPC performing a parallel analysis. Once these questions are resolved, re-processing will commence.

ISCCP Central Archive (ICA):

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

The health of GMS-4, METEOSAT-3 (at 75 W), METEOSAT-5, GOES-7, NOAA-11 and NOAA-12 remained good. METEOSAT-5 has replaced METEOSAT-4. Check out of the new GOES-8 continues with very few problems being encountered.

Stage B3: July 83 - June 91

Stage CD: July 83 - December 91

Stage C1: July 83 - June 91

Stage C2: July 83 - June 91

Delivering GOES-7 B2 data for April 94 to the GPC.

Delivering sea ice correlative data for 92 and 93 to GPC.

Delivery backlog for B3 data = 28 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 96 months have been archived.

Delivery backlog for C1/C2 data = 28 months (with respect to planned schedule). C1 data for 96 months have been archived.