NUMBER 163

DATE: 02/06/97

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During December, NOAA, JMA, EUM and CSU processed greater than 99% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for December were reported by NOAA, JMA, EUM and CSU. No report was received from AES.

CSU obtained a new tape drive and has finalized its B2 data format for GOES-9 data; elimination of the delivery backlog is underway. CSU is supplying the AC data for GOES-8 while AES revises their format.

EUM now has the resources to clear up its backlog of data deliveries: B1 and B2 data through September 96 have been delivered.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data received in the past two months are for October through December 96 from NOAA-14, METEOSAT-5, GMS-5 and GOES-9; AC for GOES-8 from August through December 96 were received from CSU. A test shipment of AC data from JMA on CD-ROM has been accepted, so that future shipments of AC data will be sent by JMA on this medium. BC data for October 96 for METEOSAT-5, GMS-5, GOES-8 and GOES-9 were shipped to the GPC. All BC reports now include normalization for the visible, standard infrared and "split-window" infrared channels (except METEOSAT which does not have a split-window channel). Normalization results for the "water vapor" channels on GMS-5, METEOSAT-5, GOES-8 and GOES-9 have been completed for January, April, July and October 96 and 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 95.

Production of GOES-7 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 94.

GOES-8 B2 data have been received through November 96. Deliveries since July 96 have included the calibration block, but the status of this information for the older datasets is not clear. The formatting software has not been written yet.

GOES-9 B2 data for January 96 have been delivered in final form. Now that the format has been determined, deliveries of the backlog will commence. 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 now current, but only data through September 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 September 96.

Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset is complete through 94. Comparison of several sources of sea ice data is underway to determine which should be used in ISCCP production.

DX/D1/D2 processing continues to be slowed by work to upgrade the computer operating system. DX/D1/D2 for November and December 89 and for November and December 93 has been processed. However, no deliveries beyond January 93 have occurred because of the difficulties with the navigation and visible radiance calibration for METEOSAT-3 (operating as GOES-EAST). The METEOSAT-3 navigation errors have all been corrected and the B3 data re-processed. The calibration problems are still under investigation.

Additions to the ISCCP Web page last month are: (1) an updated semi-annual Project Status report, (2) an error report on the spurious sea ice occurrences, (3) an error report on the occurrence of a few ocean pixels in METEOSAT DX data that are mislabeled as land, and (4) an report of a mapping problem for north polar DX data that only affects the display of the data on an image system. The ISCCP World Wide Web Home Page can be accessed at URL

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 GOES-8, GOES-9, GMS-5, METEOSAT-5, NOAA-12 and NOAA-14 remained good. METEOSAT-6 will become operational in place of METEOSAT-5 in February 97. Launch of the Chinese FY-2 is planned for March-April 97 and launch of GOES-K is planned for April 97.

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 - December 92 ( 4.0 years)

Stage D2: January 86 - December 86, January 90 - December 92 ( 4.0 years)

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 24 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 132 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 42 months (with respect to planned schedule). C1/C2 data for 96 months have been archived. D1/D2 data for 48 months have been archived.