NUMBER 175

DATE: 02/12/98

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During December, EUM, JMA, CSU and AES processed greater than 91% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for December were reported by EUM, JMA and CSU.

NOA reported a funding shortfall that has terminated deliveries of B2 data as of April 97. No change in this situation has occurred.

AES reported loss of two days of data because their suppliers changed the directory address without notification. After the problem was discovered, routine operations were restored.

CSU is still supplying the AC data for GOES-8 until AES revises their format. AES has reported completion of this revision, but the new format has not be confirmed by the SCC.

Satellite Calibration Center (SCC):

AC data were received for December 97 from GOES-8, GOES-9, METEOSAT-6, GMS-5 and NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS). BC data for October 97 for METEOSAT-6, 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), and the "water vapor" channels.

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 data is current; but deliveries of B2 data ceased in May 97. The normalization of NOAA-14 to NOAA-9 and trend analysis of the first two years of NOAA-14 data have been completed, so production of final B3 can begin.

Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current; but deliveries of B2 data ceased in May 97. Preliminary calibration results indicate a (possibly spurious) trend in the visible radiance data; however, evaluation is complicated by progressively lower solar zenith angles as the orbit of this very old satellite drifts. Investigation is still underway. 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 deliveries are current. The formatting software has not been written yet.

GOES-9 B2 data for January 96 and for June through October 97 have been delivered. The formatting software has not been written yet.

Production of METEOSAT-3 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 94.

Production of METEOSAT-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 94.

Production of METEOSAT-6 (preliminary) B3 data is now current (through November 97).

Production of GMS-4 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 94.

Production of GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data is now current (through November 97).

All B3 processing software and the B3 data formats have been revised to include, as of January 96, the normalization coefficients for all the additional spectral channels.

TOVS correlative data processing has been completed through January 97. The format problem has been resolved and processing has resumed.

Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset is complete through 94. Snow and sea ice data through 96 have been received. Modifications to the processing software to improve the analysis of the NSIDC sea ice product have been completed.

DX/D1/D2 for January 89 have been processed. Testing of the D-data processing system on workstation is nearing completion. Data and documentation to produce a 5-yr (89-93) CDrom version of the D2 data are being submitted to NASA Langley.

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, EUM, CSU and JMA and B3 and C data from the GPC in a routine manner.

The health of GOES-8, GOES-9, GMS-5, METEOSAT-6, NOAA-12 and NOAA-14 remained good. The Chinese FY-2 satellite was declared fully operational as of 1 January 98. METEOSAT-7 will not replace METEOSAT-6 until May 98. Launch of NOAA-K is now scheduled for 13 May 98.

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 - January 87, January 89 - December 93 ( 6.1 years)

Stage D2: January 86 - January 87, January 89 - December 93 ( 6.1 years)

* Delivery backlogs for B2 data (CSU = 18 months, NOA = 8 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 36 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 73 months have been archived.