NUMBER 158
DATE: 09/06/96
Sector Processing Center (SPC):
During July, NOA, CSU, and JMA processed greater than 99% of A data into B1/B2 data.
Normal operations for July were reported by NOA, CSU and JMA. No reports were received from EUM and
AES.
Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):
AC data were received for May and June 96 from METEOSAT-5 and for July 96 from NOAA-14 and GMS-5.
BC data for January 96 from METEOSAT-5 and GOES-9 and for January and February 96 from GOES-8 and
GMS-5 were shipped to the GPC.
Global Processing Center (GPC):
The GPC continued to receive B2 data, BC data and correlative data in a routine manner.
Production of NOAA-14 (preliminary) B3 is current. Production of final B3 will require normalizing the
calibration to the standard, NOAA-9.
Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current. Final B3 data have been delivered through
December 94. Calibration for 95 appears consistent with the previous record, so deliveries of the B3 data
will commence this month.
Production of GOES-7 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through June
94.
GOES-8 B2 data are now being received routinely, but the formatting software has not been written yet.
GOES-9 B2 data have not been delivered in final form, but are in preparation. The formatting software has
not been written yet.
Production of METEOSAT-3 (preliminary) B3 data is completed through January 95. The special CD-ROM
datasets sent by ESA for February through April 95 have not been processed yet. Final B3 data have been
delivered through June 94.
Production of METEOSAT-5 (preliminary) B3 data is current. Data for November 95 through February 96
have been received. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 94.
GMS-5 B2 data deliveries are current, but formatting software has not been written yet. Production of GMS-4
(preliminary) B3 data is completed through May 95. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 94.
Final INSAT-1 B3 has been produced for the period April 88 through March 89.
TOVS correlative data processing has been completed through June 96.
Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset is complete through 94.
DX/D1/D2 processing continues to be slowed by work to upgrade the computer operating system. DX/D1/D2
for January and February 93 and March and April 94 have been processed.
The B3 radiance data documentation has been revised and updated to include all new satellites since this
information was last published in 87. This document provides information about the following satellites:
NOAA-7 through 14, GOES-5 through 9, GMS-1 through 5, and METEOSAT-2 through 5.
Additions to the ISCCP Web page: (1) Revised and updated documentation for the B3 radiance dataset
covering all satellites to date, (2) Some corrections to the recently published documentation for D and B3
datasets, and (3) Addition of cloud type information to the browse/download D2 data samples. The ISCCP
World Wide Web Home Page can be accessed at URL
http://isccp.giss.nasa.gov
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. A new catalog of ISCCP data products was issued in June.
The health of GMS-5, METEOSAT-5, NOAA-12 and NOAA-14 remained good. Both new GOES satellites
are experiencing problems with the scan motors for the imager and sounder systems. The primary sounder
scan motor on GOES-8 failed in October 94; the secondary motor has been used since. The primary imager
scan motor on GOES-9 failed in March 96; the secondary motor has been used since. To prevent loss of
the remaining motors, NOAA has decided to point the GOES instruments away from the sun for six hours
every day during eclipse seasons. If NOAA does not change its imaging schedule, this will cause the loss of
one and probably two images per day from both of these satellites for more than eight weeks out of each
year.
Stage B3: July 83 - June 94 (11.0 years)
Stage CD: July 83 - December 94 (11.5 years)
Stage C1: July 83 - June 91 ( 8.0 years)
Stage C2: July 83 - June 91 ( 8.0 years)
Stage D1: January 86 - December 86, January 90 - February 93 ( 4.2 years)
Stage D2: January 86 - December 86, January 90 - December 92 ( 4.0 years)
* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 19 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 132 months have
been archived.
* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 35 months (with respect to planned schedule). C1/C2 data for
96 months have been archived. D1/D2 data for 50 months have been archived.