NUMBER 179

DATE: 06/05/98

Sector Processing Center (SPC):

During April, EUM, JMA, AES and CSU processed more than 90% of A data into B1/B2 data.

Normal operations for April were reported by EUM, JMA, AES and NOA.

NOA is processing of the backlog of B2 data; B2 data for September and October 97 were delivered this month.

CSU reported loss of GOES-9 images for GMT 0600 and 0900 from 9-29 April due to scan motor conditioning activities. On 19 April at 0243 GMT, spacecraft command capability for GOES-9 was lost, causing loss of the 0300 image; but command control was recovered shortly thereafter.

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 April 98 from GOES-8, GOES-9, METEOSAT-6, GMS-5 and NOAA-14 (AVHRR and HIRS). BC data for February 98 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 as of August 97. B2 data have been received through October 97. Final B3 data have been produced through December 95.

Production of NOAA-12 (preliminary) B3 data is current as of August 97. B2 data have been received through October 97. Final B3 data have been produced through October 96.

Production of GOES-7 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through June 94. The calibration gap from September 94 through January 95, caused by loss of NOAA-11, has been eliminated, so production of final B3 data can resume.

GOES-8 B2 data deliveries are current. The formatting software has not been written yet.

GOES-9 B2 data for January 96 and for April 97 through April 98 have been delivered. The formatting software has not been written yet.

Production and delivery of final B3 data for METEOSAT-3 (through April 95) are now completed.

Production of METEOSAT-5 (preliminary) B3 data is complete. Final B3 data have been delivered through January 95.

Production of METEOSAT-6 (preliminary) B3 data is current.

Production and delivery of final B3 data for GMS-4 (into June 95) are now completed.

Production of GMS-5 (preliminary) B3 data is current.

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 April 97.

Production of the ice/snow correlative dataset is complete through December 94. Snow data for 95, 96 and 97 have now been obtained. Sea ice data through June 97 have been obtained.

DX/D1/D2 for August 88 have been processed. The first delivery of DX data (for October - December 88) on a new tape medium is still being checked. Tape production procedures, except for automatic cataloging, have been completed; but some testing of the D-data tape production software is still underway. Final contents of the 5-yr (89-93) CDrom version of the D2 data have been verified.

There are now 6 years of D2 data available: 1986 and 1989 through 1993. Samples are available on 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 lost near the end of April 98, after only four months of operations. METEOSAT-7 was supposed to have replaced METEOSAT-6 in May 98, but no confirmation has been received. METEOSAT-5 has arrived at 63E longitude where it will begin providing coverage of the Indian Ocean in July 98. NOAA-K (now NOAA-15) was successfully launched on 13 May 98; once check-out is completed it will replace NOAA-12.

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 = 14 months, NOA = 6 months).

* Delivery backlog for B3 data = 40 months (with respect to planned schedule). B3 data for 132 months have been archived.

* Delivery backlog for new DX/D1/D2 data = 46 months (with respect to planned schedule). C1/C2 data for 96 months have been archived. D1/D2 data for 73 months have been archived.