NUMBER 75

DATE: 11/07/89

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During September, JMA processed 100% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations were reported by JMA.

Reports were received from ESA and AES covering July and August data processing and from JMA for August, but no other reports for September were received. Processing in July captured more than 89% of the B2 data, while in August more than 94% of the B2 data were produced.

JMA reported that the GMS-4 satellite was successfully launched from Tanegashima Space Center (NASDA) at 1911 UTC on 5 September 1989. The new satellite will replace GMS-3 as the operational satellite in December 1989 after systems check out is completed.

ESA reported discovery of an error in their processing system for ISCCP data affecting all B1/B2 data produced after 0900 UTC on 15 Dec 88. Replacement of these data in chronological order will commence in this month. The estimated time to replace all of the data is about nine months, which will not affect B3 production very much.

Special Area Processing Center (SAPC):

No reports were received.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

The SCC reported completing BC data for GOES-7 for Apr, Jul and Oct 88 and for MET-3 for Nov 88. BC data for for GOES-7 from April 87 through January 88 and for MET-3 from July 88 through October 88 were received by the GPC.

Global Processing Center (GPC):

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

The NOAA investigation of the problem with the IR calibration coefficients for NOAA-11 from launch through 12 Oct 88 was unable to find an explanation; these data cannot be recovered and will be abandoned. Production of NOAA-11 preliminary B3 data has been completed though Apr 89; normalization activities have begun. The analysis of the calibration of Channel 1 on NOAA-9 for the period from Mar through Oct 88 shows that the originally measured trend held constant through the remainder of NOAA-9 operations. The remaining NOAA-9 B3 data are now being calibrated and should be shipped to the ICA later this month. Normalization of NOAA-10 to NOAA-9 has been completed, showing about a 15% difference in Channel 1 calibration between the two satellites in Dec 86. Production of NOAA-10 B3 will commence later this month.

The B3 data for METEOSAT-2 for 87 have been re-calibrated and delivered to the ICA.

The B3 data for GOES-6 have been produced through Aug 87; delivery to the ICA awaits receipt of the BC data for the remainder of 87.

The snow and sea ice data set for 87 has been produced and delivered to the ICA. Although we have the snow data set through early 89, we still have not received sea ice data for 88.

C1 data for December 84 and January 85 have been completed. Production of C1 data for February 85 will be completed next week. Final revisions of the C1 data production system have been tested and implemented.

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.

In reconciling records for a new issue of the ISCCP data catalog, the ICA discovered that more than 30 tapes had been lost in various ways (some mistakenly re-used, some never received, some with new read errors). There were also some tapes for which the records were not accurate. This "problem" represents less than 5% of the total holdings (B3 and C1 only), so it is both remarkable that such a small loss has occurred and it is a lesson for more ambituous data processing projects that such losses can occur. The new catalog should be ready for distribution before the end of this year.