NUMBER 65

DATE: 01/06/89

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During November, ESA and JMA collectively processed greater than 93% of A data into B1/B2 data. AES processed more than 72% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations were reported by NOA and JMA.

NOA reported beginning the processing of NOAA-11 B2 on 25 September 1988, providing an overlap with NOAA-9 data of about six weeks. These overlapping B2 data sets have all been delivered to the GPC; however, the B2 processing matrix for NOAA-11 data in November was not included in the monthly report. B2 data for NOAA-10 for March through May 87 were also delivered to the GPC this month. NOA received the first shipment of AES B1 data, covering April and May 1987.

ESA reported that an exercise to decontaminate the infrared sensors (remove residual water vapor in the instrument) on METEOSAT-3, carried out from 0900 GMT on 15 November to 0900 17 November, makes the IR and WV channel calibrations unreliable for this time period. Another decontamination exercise is planned for 20 - 22 December.

AES reported loss of data from 12 to 13 November caused by a failure in the front-end receiving system.

CSU budget approval came through; the backlog of data deliveries is expected to be eliminated in January 1989. On 21 December, the GOES WEST receiving antenna at CSU was toppled by high winds in excess of 120 knots (or more than 60 meters per second), causing loss of all data; repairs were completed by 31 December, but some testing continues. It appears that only nine days of data were lost. Discussions are underway with UWS to determine if replacement data can be obtained from their archive.

Special Area Processing Center (SAPC):

No reports were received.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

No report received.

Global Processing Center (GPC):

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

Re-processing of NOAA B3 data to correct the small IR count error has been completed through June 84 for NOAA-7 and June 84 for NOAA-8. The new tapes for both satellites have been delivered to the ICA for 83; the NOAA-7 tapes for 84 have also been delivered and those for NOAA-8 are being prepared.

Production of METEOSAT-2 B3 data has been completed through December 87 and all data delivered to the ICA.

Testing of the corrected IR calibration for GMS data indicates that the spurious diurnal variation during eclipse conditions has been reduced to a satisfactory level (less than 1.5 K for most days). Re-processing of the B3 data for those months in eclipse between January 84 and December 85 has begun. Production of GMS B3 beyond December 85 will resume later this month.

B3 data for GOES-6 have been produced through March 87, up to the point of the format change; delivery of these data, together with the data for 86, will occur after the IR calibrations have been inspected and corrected.

Re-inspection of all B3 data to detect smaller, short-term calibration anomalies continues; re-processing of all B3 data is complete through 83 and is underway for 84. Deliveries of the corrected B3 data will begin this month.

Routine quality inspections have now been completed for all the data in the archive, as well as for the GOES-6 data for 86 that has not been delivered. Completion of the more detailed calibration inspections will require about two more months.

C1 data for October 83 and November 83 have been delivered to the ICA. Production of December 83 and February 84 C1 data has started. Special pixel-level data for the FIRE Cirrus and Marine Stratus Intensive Field Observation periods (October/November 86 and June/July 87) are being processed into the FIRE standard format (except for GOES-6 data in 87 which is in the new format).

ISCCP Central Archive (ICA):

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